Urgent repairs to the Museum of Farnham’s crumbling roof will cost more than £610,000, on top of £1.72 million already earmarked for the project.

Waverley Borough Council’s Executive is recommending that Full Council, meeting on Wednesday, October 22, approves a £610,248 budget to restore the structural timber frame at Willmer House, the 18th-century building in West Street that houses the museum.

Experts say the roof timbers have decayed so severely that the structure has “lost its structural function” and must be rebuilt this winter to avoid collapse. A report warns that any delay would disrupt the conservation timetable and could add more than £200,000 in extra costs.

Leader of Waverley Borough Council, Cllr Paul Follows, said: “We understand concerns about rising costs, but this is not a case of mission creep; it’s a necessary response to a long-standing and serious structural failure that has been steadily worsening over several decades.

“As custodians of a Grade I listed building, we have a legal and moral duty to act. Without our intervention, enabled by external funding, these deeper issues would have remained hidden and unaddressed.”

The additional funding will come from the council’s capital receipts reserve, with a further £60,500 diverted from an unspent rear-window project to pay for scaffolding and safety works.

Work is expected to take up to 15 weeks once listed-building consent is granted. The repairs are scheduled from November 2025 to March 2026.

A council spokesperson said Waverley had to take “urgent action to protect Willmer House” after “discovering serious structural issues during restoration work”.

“Thanks to funding from Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the front façade is being restored but deeper problems have now come to light, including wet rot and insect damage in the roof timbers,” they said.

The report also calls for a detailed survey of the rear of the building, where brickwork and window frames are said to be in a “critical” and worsening condition. Bricks are reportedly coming loose around window openings, posing potential safety risks.

Councillors were reminded that Waverley, as the owner, has a legal duty to maintain the Grade I-listed building and that failure to act could lead to enforcement action under heritage legislation.

The museum building has been undergoing an 83-week conservation project since January 2025, supported by grants from Arts Council England and the National Heritage Lottery Fund. The current phase focuses on restoring its fragile Georgian brick façade and historic cornices.

The Willmer House restoration has an approved budget of £1.72 million, funded by £734,942 from the council and £985,145 from external grants.

An additional £160,500 was approved in the 2025/26 capital programme for repainting the rear windows, but most of this depended on a grant that was not secured. This leaves £60,500 available.

The new roof timber repairs are expected to cost £670,748. The council plans to use the remaining £60,500 from the window budget to help fund the work, leaving a shortfall of £610,248, which would come from the capital receipts reserve.

A 5 percent contingency has been built into the total. Officers warned that any delay or refusal to fund the work could put at risk the external grants already received. Completion of the front façade by September 2026 is essential to avoid penalties or repayment of Arts Council England funding.

Willmer House, built in 1718 for hop merchant John Thorne, is one of Farnham’s finest Georgian townhouses, celebrated for its intricate hand-rubbed brickwork. It later became a school and, since 1961, has housed the Museum of Farnham — home to collections spanning local archaeology, craft, costume and art.

Alongside the urgent repair work, Waverley has opened discussions on the museum’s long-term sustainability. A series of summer workshops involving Farnham Maltings, Farnham Town Council and the Museum Society explored how the site could evolve into a Museum of Craft, reflecting Farnham’s status as England’s first World Craft Town.

The idea, still at an early stage, would see the museum adopt a more commercial model, adding a café, shop and event hire space, to reduce its reliance on council funding.

Options also include transferring ownership to Farnham Town Council or a local trust under a community asset transfer scheme once existing funding covenants expire. Officers say the aim is to secure a financially sustainable and locally managed future for one of Farnham’s most important historic buildings.

Cllr Kika Mirylees, portfolio holder for community services and leisure, said: “Willmer House is a treasured part of Farnham’s heritage.

“Our officers have done an amazing job to secure funding and deliver the front façade restoration, but the scale of the issues now means we simply can’t do it all on our own.

“We’re seeking support from Farnham Town Council and the wider community to get involved to help protect this landmark for future generations - whether through fundraising, advocacy, or exploring new models of ownership.”

The council has been running a Buy a Brick campaign since April giving people the opportunity to donate money to the project. For more information, visit: www.waverley.gov.uk/council-updates/read-our-latest-news/buy-a-brick-and-help-restore-willmer-house