Calls are growing for Guildford Borough Council to act on the long-delayed redevelopment of the Old Orleans building, a site many locals now describe as an “eyesore.” The disused restaurant on Bedford Road has stood empty for years despite being bought by the council in 2018 with the aim of transforming the riverside area.
The council said its plans to redevelop and “open up” the wharf are still on hold while it works with the Environment Agency to agree on measures to protect the site from flooding. Officials have warned that the process could take some time, with what they called “quite a long timeline” still ahead before any visible progress can begin.
Mark Worley, who regularly visits the area, said the site’s potential is being wasted. “This area here potentially could be very attractive, it’s by the riverbank, but it’s an absolute eyesore,” he said. The council recently commissioned murals for the exterior of the building in an effort to “make it a little bit more loved than it has been,” but residents say the artwork has done little to disguise years of neglect.
Mr Worley added: “The murals themselves, you could argue they help, but it’s been derelict now for about 15 years. This whole square, and indeed the whole of the riverside in Guildford, needs sorting out and opening up.”
Another local resident told BBC Surrey that “the whole area needs comprehensive regeneration,” dismissing the flood protection issue as “just a bureaucratic excuse.” Frustration is mounting as the Old Orleans building continues to decay, with many residents urging the council to prioritise visible progress on the long-promised redevelopment.
Deputy council leader Tom Hunt acknowledged the poor condition of the building. “It’s in a poor state of repair and will take quite a significant amount of investment to bring it up to a state where it could be used,” he said. “I’ve talked to people who are interested, and they’ve had a look and then said ‘thank you but no thank you’.”
For now, the once lively riverside site remains shuttered and deteriorating. As calls grow to revive the Old Orleans building in Guildford, many locals say the council’s patience has run out and that it is time to deliver on long-standing promises to rejuvenate the area.
