ISLANDERS are calling for parts of the Old Quarter to be modernised and brought into the 21st century to liven up the historical part of Town. And they believe derelict and ugly parts of the area and empty and boarded-up buildings need cosmetic surgery to fall into line with other parts, which have been given facelifts.
Much of Mill Street and Mansell Street are being revitalised by a diverse mix of new shops.
‘In the short term, it needs some cosmetic surgery,’ said estate agency business partner John Le Tissier, 45.
‘It’s a pretty area - you would think the States would make it obligatory to at least make your property look cosmetically acceptable.
‘Common sense dictates if you have a property, which is your major investment, you look after it,’ he said.
Milkman Matt Waterman, 45, said it was a shame Mill Street restaurant Rosario’s had closed.
‘It seemed to be popular enough to overcome the parking problem,’ he said.
‘The shops here do not seem to last too long and quite often when there is a crime problem or bit of unruliness, you tend to read it’s the Mill Street area.
‘A lot of it could do with a lick of paint but it’s the Old Quarter and you don’t want to change it too much,’ he said.
Senior finance administrator Maxine Sheehan, 26, believed the area had definitely improved in recent years - especially the bottom of Mill Street.
‘They need to sort out some parking at the top end of Town to encourage more people to the Old Quarter. It’s a bit run down but it has improved downwards,’ she said.
Marc Gibbons, a 23-year-old builder from London who is currently working in the area, said that if it was to attract a younger crowd its focus needed to shift.
‘It needs more bars and restaurants. It would definitely attract a younger crowd up here and you would get a lot more people.’
He also said shoppers could not fail to notice the boarded-up and dilapidated buildings at the top end of Mill Street.
‘It does look more secluded and boarded up and looks more downmarket and does not do the area any favours,’ he said.
He did not agree with recent accusations that it looked seedy.
‘We have lots of seedy places in London,’ he said.
Glynis O’Neill, a visitor from Wales, said: ‘It’s nice to see some parts ‘of the Old Quarter’ are being done up and improved and hopefully they will carry on in that vein.’
Finance administrator Simone Le Goff, 36, said: ‘It definitely could do with a bit of refurbishment but all the new shops towards the bottom are great. It’s generally being done up and some more bars and restaurants would improve the area.’
Designer Nick Sealley, 37, is still upset about the Markets redevelopment.
‘They have ruined it. The Market was lovely as it was and was the last bit of Guernsey heritage left. If they wanted to bring businesses in, they could’ve put them up here in the empty shops. They need to get people in these shops and doing the properties up.’
Bank worker Claire Pasquire, 29, believed the area was slowly getting there.
‘The more shops they have got up here, the more people will come - but it does need some work,’ she said.
Town Centre Partnership chief executive Jack Honeybill said the group shared islanders’ concerns about the area and had its own views on possible improvements.
‘We think it needs not quite so many shops and perhaps some mews-type residential properties, interspersed with perhaps some hospitality trade units like pubs and restaurants,’ he said.
* What do you think should happen in the Old Quarter? Should it be modernised, or left alone? Write to us with your views - newsroom@guernsey-press.com
Article posted on 24th October, 2007 - 12.00am
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