Latest news with #Godalming
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
M&S to open its largest standalone food store yet in English town
Marks & Spencer (M&S) plans to open 12 new food stores on former Homebase sites across England, creating over 550 jobs. The expansion includes ten food stores and two full-line stores this year, with a 22k square foot food hall in Godalming set to be its largest standalone food store to date. The new food stores will feature a full range of M&S Food products, market-style fruit and vegetables, bakeries, and Click & Collect counters. M&S aims to have 420 bigger, fresher Food stores and 180 Full Line stores by 2027/28 through its store rotation and renewal program. This expansion follows a recent cyber attack that cost M&S £300 million, with the Metropolitan Police investigating the incident.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Extension permitted for 'ugly' Godalming High Street building
A development to add nine flats to a building described by residents as "ugly" has been Borough Council granted planning permission to the property in Godalming High Street, which is currently home to a Fat Face shop, a gym and a told the planning meeting on 7 May the homes would overlook neighbours and put pressure on local councillors voted in favour of the developer Queensbury Investments, which argued the plans will make "better use of this key town centre site". The local authority will not issue town centre parking permits to flat residents to keep spaces free for visitors to Godalming, according to the Local Democracy Reporting developer will keep the existing commercial property and add two further storeys of flats, some of which will have shared roof site is within Godalming Conservation Area and next to listed buildings.A representative of adjoining Great George Street residents told the meeting they understood the building is "really ugly" but this was not the best way to go about said "it feels like there is massive, excessive development" and roof terraces will "be looking straight over the rooftops and into our gardens".Andy Jeffery, Godalming Town Council clerk, said the proposal would "disrupt the traditional character and roofline" of the town developer said the scheme would bring the 1960s-build more in line with the rest of the area, help meet new housing targets, and create new spend in Carole Cockburn said the plans were "well thought through" and that "if you live in a town centre, you have should have different expectations because there are always going to be mixed uses"."We don't want to be building on our green fields," she added. "We don't want to build anywhere but we have to and I'm afraid it's got to be in our towns."
