A National Art Gallery for Jersey – it’s time for the industry to respond.

On Friday last, Jersey’s Education Sport & Culture Minister, Senator Mike Vibert, published his Strategic Plan for a National Gallery for Jersey and requested interested parties to respond with comments on the proposal. You can download a copy by clicking here

Along with the Strategic Plan, the Minister published yet another report from Locum Consulting (the third of substance from these consultants in two years – Jersey has served them well!). This Concept and Impact Assessment Report outlines the cost of building the Gallery (almost £10million) and offers solutions as to how this capital cost together with the annual running costs of c. £500k will be financed – without asking taxpayers to cough up.

Leaving aside the benefit to the local community – it is difficult to argue against this – I would focus attention on the Gallery as a contributor to the visitor economy. Locum has produced various revenue projections based on different admission charges, ranging from free entry to a £9.00 entry fee. Based on current staying leisure visitor numbers, they suggest between 28,000 and 50,000 visitors would put the gallery on their ‘must see’ list in one year – plus a few more day trippers, business visitors and even 2000 visiting yachtsmen! This would make it the third most popular attraction for visitors after Durrell and the Jersey War Tunnels.

Locum go into a huge amount of detail in their projections and suggest that the Gallery will even produce additional visits to Jersey from tourists, as images of the Gallery will ‘tip the balance’ in favour of a visit.

Readers of this blog will know that for some time I have been advocating the construction of a purpose-built conference centre on the Waterfront (click here to refresh your memory). From a purely visitor economy perspective, the Gallery will in no way provide the benefits that a conference and events centre, capable of holding 1000 delegates and hosting concerts and sports events as well as corporate meetings would have for all of the stakeholders in Jersey’s tourism industry.

I hope that our trade representatives, Jersey Hospitality, will consult with its members before formulating their response to this proposal. Please take time to read the documents and make your views known to the JHA or direct to David Greenwood, Assistant Director – Culture and Lifelong Learning at ESC, who is responsible for managing the consultation.

One thought – what about combining the Gallery with a Conference and Events Centre and creating a building that will benefit both residents and visitors alike?

Display your menus - or get your collar felt!

Attention all restaurant, bar and hotel owners! You are possibly breaking the law and liable to a fine of up to £500 plus £50 per day for each day during which the offence continues. Why? Because you are not displaying outside your premises a copy of all your price lists and menus.

Section 50, paragraph (d) of the Licensing (Jersey) Law 1974 states: 'The holder of the licence shall keep displayed at the exterior and in close proximity to each entrance to the licensed premises normally used by the public, and in each room or other place in which meals or refreshments are normally served, in a conspicuous position where it may be seen and easily read by customers, a notice specifying the charges made for meals and refreshments, other than intoxicating liquor, served on the premises and keep every such notice displayed at the exterior of the premises illuminated where necessary for it to be easily readable by customers'

So if your hotel has a number of bars and/or restaurants you need to display a copy of each menu and bar tariff, not only at the entrance to each outlet but at the entrance to the hotel.

I carried out a random check around St Helier and I reckon at least half of licensed premises are breaking the law. So get printing - or your wallet could be £500+ lighter! You have been warned.