Godalming pub closes for multi-million pound refurb with brand new name

Lauren Cole-Lomas

17 May 2024 at 11:21 am·2-min read

Hospitality group Heartwood Collection has acquired The Manor Inn, Godalming from Whitbread Plc. -Credit:Streetview

A former Beefeater in Godalming has closed its doors to the public and is set to reopen with a completely new look and name. The Manor Inn, a Beefeater pub and Premier Inn, with mixed reviews on Google, could soon be transformed into a swanky new inn called The Ragged Robin.

Now part of the award-winning Heartwood Inn’s fleet of gastropubs across the UK, The Ragged Robin will join the likes of The White Horse in Dorking, The Barley Mow in Englefield Green and The March Hare in Guildford, amongst others.

The multi-million pound project is set to reflect the property’s 18th century roots, and the rear garden will overlook the River Wey. Alongside catering to up to 250 people, the pub will also have cosy rooms, where guests can stay overnight.

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Proposed plan of what The Ragged Robin will look like with a new name and shutters — Sketch of what the pub could look like when it reopens in 2025 -Credit:Heartwood

This makes The Ragged Robin the second of Heartwood’s pubs to offer hotel rooms in Surrey. Earlier this year, Heartwood opened The White Horse in Dorking, a dog-friendly inn where you can stay with your pooch.

In total The Ragged Robin will offer 16 bedrooms for guests. The site has been a hotel since 1930, but before that it was originally a tannery.

Heartwood was listed as one of The Sunday Times’ best places to work in 2024. The new pub, set to open in the summer of 2025, will be opening around 90 new jobs in the area.

Over in Great Bookham, Heartwood is set to open another new venue, The Old Crown. The pub will receive cosy snugs, with Heartwood’s signature quirky touch.

Richard Ferrier, CEO, Heartwood Collection, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to acquire this fantastic pub in Godalming from Whitbread. Having looked for an opportunity to open in Godalming for a long time, we are delighted to have found such a beautiful location on the River Wey. We plan to transform both the pub and the rooms with the aim of creating something very special.”

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