This Is Guernsey

By Nigel Baudains

Alun Williams, left, and Wayne Bulpitt in the pub bought by the charity they have established. The former Caves de Bordeaux will become the St Peter Port Centre for Young People. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0571623)

THE former Caves de Bordeaux pub is to be turned into a youth centre.

The building, in Upper Mansell Street, has been bought by newly formed charity Guernsey Youth and will become the St Peter Port Centre for Young People.
Education’s head of lifelong learning Alun Williams and former Bailiwick Scout commissioner Wayne Bulpitt have established the charity.

‘Young people are regularly asking for more places to go and when the Caves became available, it was just too good an opportunity to miss,’ said Mr Bulpitt.

The property was purchased last month and it is hoped that refurbishment work will be complete by the end of the year in readiness for opening. The Lloyds TSB Charitable Foundation gave £75,000 to the project and several other charities and businesses have given financial support.

‘We still have a long way to go to achieve the required level of funding to make the Caves a top facility for young people, but we are confident we will reach our goal,’ said Mr Bulpitt.

The three-storey building has a floor area of 3,000sq ft.

The centre will be aimed at the 14 to 25 age group. The ground floor will be made into a youth cafe.

Youngsters will have the opportunity to run it as a commercial entity under the guidance of a full-time

manager as an extension of the Young Enterprise initiative.

The first floor will be the new home of Dee-caf, the young people’s drop-in centre, currently situated in the Bordage, which gets about 100 visitors each month.

Dee Caf director Mr Williams said the new facility was good news all round.

‘Dee Caf will really enjoy the new, improved facilities whilst the Caves will benefit from being associated with such an excellent resource for young people.’

On the top floor, support for children at risk and specialist help on drug and alcohol issues will be available.

The premises will provide an informal drop-in centre where people can receive guidance from various agencies on different issues, including how they can find jobs.

It is also hoped it will provide somewhere for single parents to go.

Article posted on 29th April, 2008 - 11.00am