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The internet (which they are blaming for lower sales) is only doing to them what they did to the smaller music retailers when they invaded the island with their huge bulk buying advantages, which smaller retailers simply couldn’t match.

We used to buy wholesale goods and then we would see them in supermarkets/large UK shops for half the price that we paid at cost! How can small places compete with that kind of buying power?.

It’s NOT ONLY the internet that can trade rent free with hardly any overheads etc but Companies that can buy vast amounts of stock at next to nothing cost prices that have Killed the local shops.

Of course the shops prices are higher than the internet! This is mostly because they have to pay high OTT rents etc. not to mention the inflated costs that tradesmen charge for maintainence such as electrics plumbing decorating and so on. £80 to screw a plug socket back into a wall which took 5 minutes???? Over £400 to change a toilet cistern???? £2,000 to paint 2 walls??? Would you pay that privately ………. I don’t think so! We feed these UK Fat Cats our money then they take it off the Island and don’t give a damm about their customers because they are to big to care!

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So what is the answer? How do we going about changing this? Surely something can be done to reinvigorate the area? A committee formed and various people/parties lobbied?

Any thoughts on what could be done would be appreciated.

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None taken

You have your view of what caused the markets demise and I have mine
We will just have to agree to disagree.

For the future I think the building if used for retail will never generate the bussines needed to service the lease, unless of course the operators get a pepper corn rent, without parking closer to the facility it does not have much of a future.
It might work as a decent restaurant or some other eating house but I have my doubts. The area has been destroyed in my opinion and unles market street is re- opened it’s future looks pretty bleak.

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The reason Gabriels went is that they were selling a pair of jeans for the same price they were fifteen years before (and that’s from someone who really knows) if you get what I mean.

I am concerned that a member of our government can be so wide of the mark on what really is very basic economics. The market’s heyday was many ,many years ago and you really should accept that. Please remove your rose tinted glasses.

Deputy Jones I do agree with you that the conversion of the market building to what it is now has not been a success. I also agree that it was sad that the market went but as I said earlier “use it or lose it”. Basic economics . The reality is that people stopped using the market because they were unwilling to carry what they bought down to the bus station as they did in the old days. Moving forward what exactly would you like to see done with the market building? The problem is I don’t think the states can afford to take it back.

Chris I don’t know which fresh friday your going to, last time I was there there were three stalls and hardly anyone around.

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I think you are wrong about the market.
The whole concept of the market was destroyed over period of time by the old Board of Administration. That is why people stopped using it.

It started back in the 1800’s as a building where islanders set up their barrows and sold their goods, they paid a very small ground rent for their pitch which allowed them to sell their goods reasonably cheaply and attract the public.

That all changed in the latter years of the Markets life as the BOA turned the inside into mini shops charging more and more in rents which eventually led to several stall holders pulling out and its gradual demise as a market. In addition they spent very little on the buildings upkeep until it reached a stage where it needed hundred of thousands spent on it and they then used that as an excuse to off load it on as long term lease.

The closing down of Guernsey’s market was possibly the most single act of government social vandalism that many can remember, Certainly since the demolition of both of Guernsey’s cinemas, with the giving away of Guernsey telecoms running a close third.

When the Market building was handed over to the present lease holder a part of St Peter Port died and no amount of glitzy English shops will ever bring back the atmosphere of a lively traditional French market which Guernsey’s clearly was. It was a place visitors flocked to in its heyday and it was without doubt one of the most vibrant parts of St Peter Port.

It is also my belief that the closing of market street was a contributing factor to the loss of the Gabriel chain of shops in Fountain street, In fact I know it was as I spoke to Brian Gabriel only a few months ago, who told me that once market street had gone so his business went into decline.

Hundreds of people during the course of a day made use of the half hour parking spaces in market square to nip to Gabriel’s for a shirt or the children’s School uniform or whatever. Many did the fountain / market street circuit, picking up family members the whole area was an integral part of the shopping experience of St Peter Port, whether you wanted to pick up a shirt some flowers of a chancre for tea it didn’t matter it was part of our way of life and I know I am not the only one who misses it simply because it was part of Guernsey’s everyday life.

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But they do need to change from being a bargain basement seller of CDs (ie competing with amazon etc), to being a higher end shop where people want to go to look around and find things to buy.

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I should think the demise of the market began as far back as when Besants opened in the Rohais

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I do agree that attempts have failed and that there is a lot more to do than someone like myself responding to a newsfeed with “wouldn’t it be nice if….”, but you have to admit it’s a bit of a disaster how it’s all turned out.

Who runs the market? Who allocates tenants/decides on rent? Are McAuley still involved?

The regeneration of local markets is a big thing currently in the UK (I mentioned Jersey, Bristol and Swansea as excellent examples) – not to mention all the markets in London (Broadway, Borough, Shepherds Bush etc)

Am certain more can be done here.

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If you, the people had acted years ago the market would still be a market. You, the people stopped shopping there in your droves years ago.

“Use it or lose it” comes to mind.

I agree with you and others that the market business mix is poor and really the re energising of the market has failed however your panacea of having a working market just isn’t viable.

“Fresh Friday” failed I’m afraid.

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Well done !

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