This Is Guernsey

By Tom Edwards

TWO top hotels are on the market. Sandpiper Holdings is selling St Pierre Park and La Trelade, which it bought in August when it took over CI Traders.

Staff were informed yesterday and assured that their jobs would be safe.

Sandpiper chief executive Tony O’Neill said potential buyers in the hotel industry had already expressed interest.

‘We want to focus and invest in our core activities and that does not include hospitality,’ he said.

‘We have ongoing reviews of all entities of the business and the conclusion we came to was that the hotels’ full potential would be realised by a specialist hotelier.

‘They are strong operational businesses and we had significant unsolicited interest from the moment we bought CI Traders.’

The two hotels’ combined value is estimated at more than £10m. and their combined staff varies seasonally between 130 and 160.

It is understood that Sandpiper is not selling its numerous pubs and restaurants.

A hotel employee spoke out yesterday about how many of the staff had felt left in the dark since the takeover.

Speaking anonymously, because staff contracts forbid them talking to the media, the employee said a lack of communication had undermined confidence in the new owner.

‘There was no panic when they broke it to us and I wouldn’t expect a massive walkout or flurry of resignations, but I think people need time to digest it.

‘We hadn’t heard a thing from Sandpiper since they took over so there has been uncertainty and a lot of rumours that they weren’t keeping the hotels.

‘I was told Sandpiper don’t even have a hospitality section on their website and that just goes to show it’s not their area of business.’

The employee added that a climate of uncertainty had unsettled hotel staff for a long time.

‘Sandpiper might not have dealt with the situation in the way they perhaps should have, but I have been finding out things from the Guernsey Press for the first time from well before they took over.

‘We have been told our jobs are not in danger, but when any company announces it is selling up you always have concerns.’

Mr O’Neill said jobs should be safe, given the strong interest from potential buyers.

‘The assurance for staff is that these are profitable entities in their own right and therefore people want to acquire them,’ he said.

‘As we already have expressions of interest from a number of operators, we would assume the properties would be continued as operational hotels.

‘Therefore we do not anticipate closing down at any point and will be working towards a smooth transition.’

Mr O’Neill would not disclose how much Sandpiper hoped to make from the sale of the hotels and would not name any of the interested parties.