This Is Guernsey

By Gemma Hockey

THE French Halles are empty this Christmas. The traders will moved into their new home tomorrow at the Co-op’s new store in the Markets.

And the move could encourage more people to go to the Old Quarter.

Butcher Russell Welbourne said he thinks the new building will attract a few more people.

‘I hope it will anyway,’ he said.

‘I don’t know what the plans are for the French Halles, but there were a few men in suits looking around on Friday morning.’

He said most of his customers were looking forward to his move back inside the Markets.

‘They’ve been waiting for it for quite a while,’ said Mr Welbourne.

‘It’s good timing in a way because there are more people about, but obviously we will be trying to find our feet for the first few weeks during the Christmas rush so that might throw a spanner in the works.’

Brett Allen, director of Markets developer McAulay, which has a lease on the French Halles, was not available for comment, but it is believed there has been some interest from businesses to rent the space.

Quay Gallery director Jane Barneby said she hoped the new location of the Co-op in the Markets would bring even more business to what she said was an already thriving Mill Street, especially with the inclusion of a post office.

‘It should do,’ she said, ‘if there was parking as well, it would probably be better still.

‘The Co-op is not moving far, but the fact that a post office is going in there will make a big difference because the only Town post office at the moment is in Smith Street.

‘It will also clear the place up and get the whole area looking better.

‘We have a good footfall at the moment, but I think there will probably be more now.’

She has, however, called for some form of legislation that will ensure landlords of unused properties pay even higher rates to encourage them to get people into their premises instead of leaving them empty.

With the closure of Gabriel’s last week, Deputy Brian Gabriel, one of four directors of the family-run business in Fountain Street, is keen for the 10 properties to be bought and redeveloped.

‘There has been plenty of interest from locals and from overseas.

‘I can’t say there will be a sale soon, but there has been a pretty good amount of interest,’ he said. ‘It would be a shame to leave the shops empty,’ he said.

Deputy Gabriel, whose late father, Ben, set up the business 61 years ago, said the listed status of the buildings meant it would be a little harder for developers who would need to comply with strict guidelines.

Martel Maides Commercial and Swoffer Barnes Commercial have been appointed as joint agents.