Hilton Hotel Cladding Failures: Holding Sir Robert McAlpine Accountable

Following yet another incident involving the cladding at the Hilton Hotel on Victoria Way, I have written to Sir Robert McAlpine to express my anger, disappointment, and frustration. Just eleven days after Victoria Way reopened, Storm Eowyn caused cladding to come loose once again, resulting in the road’s closure.

This issue has been ongoing since the hotel was under construction, and despite repeated concerns, it remains unresolved. The impact on Woking residents and businesses has been significant, with major traffic disruption and financial losses for local shops and services.

In my letter, I have called on Sir Robert McAlpine to take full responsibility and provide a clear plan of action. Specifically, I have asked for:

• An independent assessment of the cladding’s safety, funded by Sir Robert McAlpine.
• Contractual assurances to prevent further issues and a commitment to address any future problems.
• Appropriate compensation for businesses and residents affected by the closures.

I have also requested a site visit, which I expect to be arranged within the next week. Given the seriousness of the situation, I will be sharing my letter publicly to ensure transparency and accountability.

Woking deserves better. I will continue to push for swift and decisive action to resolve this matter once and for all.

If you have been impacted by the closure of Victoria Way or have concerns you would like to raise, please get in touch with my office.

Read the full letter here:

Dear Mr. Martin,

I am disappointed to have to write to you about this issue again.

I am writing to express my deep anger, disappointment, and frustration regarding the repeated issues with cladding from the Hilton Hotel on Victoria Way, Woking. Following Storm Eowyn, cladding has once again come loose and fallen off, leading to another closure of Victoria Way just eleven days after its reopening.

I urge you and the rest of the board at Sir Robert McAlpine to take full responsibility for this situation, including ensuring site safety, mitigating risks to pedestrians, the impact for motorists making detours, and addressing the consequences on local businesses caused by these closures.

This problem has persisted over several years, and Woking residents and businesses are understandably frustrated. It started when the hotel was under construction and since it was opened in autumn 2024 there have been repeated incidents.

Victoria Way is a critical thoroughfare, and its closure results in significant traffic disruption and loss of business, negatively affecting the community.

As this is a recurring issue, I request that you share a detailed plan on how you will secure the cladding to prevent such incidents in the future. I would urge you to include:

• An independent assessment of the safety of the panels at the expense of Sir Robert McAlpine.
• What contractual assurances will you offer regarding future issues and associated compensation.
• What compensation are you giving to businesses and to Woking residents for the road closures and disruption.

Additionally, I reiterate my request for a site visit, as previously offered. Please contact my office to arrange this meeting within one week.

Given the widespread impact of this issue, I will be sharing this letter publicly to ensure transparency. I expect a prompt response outlining your proposed actions.

Yours sincerely,
Will Forster
Member of Parliament for Woking