Several prominent shops have closed in the past 12 months – including long-standing names such as Beghins and Pearce Jewellers, both of which had had a home on King Street for more than a century.
Gerald Voisin, chairman of Voisins department store, said some areas of the town centre looked ‘tired and dilapidated’.
He added that the festive shopping period, which had been considered in some quarters as a make-or-break month for the high street, had been ‘OK’.
‘We didn’t expect it to be a record year and it hasn’t been a record year,’ he said. ‘We will be around for a few more years though.
‘The wet and windy weather in December did not help. When that went we had people flood in. Brexit is another issue, with consumer confidence down.
‘I don’t think St Helier’s high street is in a good state of health. If you look at the empty shops and then the state of some shops – with signs coming off and paint coming off – some look tired and dilapidated.’
Despite noting a late start in Christmas sales this year, St Helier’s town centre and events manager, Vicky Trehorel, said that the increased footfall over the Christmas period was a good indicator of a relatively positive period.
She said that engagement initiatives such as the Christmas window challenge had encouraged shoppers to visit town.
‘Improving Islanders’ engagement with local retailers and the high street is not just something that should be a concern during the festive period,’ she said.
‘It is important that we support the local high street throughout the year in order to better the town’s atmosphere and overall Island life’.
Other retailers reported decent, if unspectacular, December shopping – with the wet weather deterring consumers in the early parts of the month.
John Holley, the owner of Seedee Johns, was happy and slightly shocked that sales had not dropped since last year.
He said: ‘We weren’t expecting sales to be going so well. Although they have not exceeded that of last year, it is still a big positive for us, as we were concerned that worries over Brexit, as well as the competition from online sales, would have affected our sales, with people wanting to spend less.’
Hettich Jewellers owner Jeff Chin added: ‘We have had some rotten weather recently, which doesn’t make people want to come into town and do their Christmas shopping.’
Co-operative chief operating officer Mark Cox said that the company had good news, with this Christmas on course to be better than last year.
He added: ‘It was extremely busy last week in the days leading up to Christmas.
‘November was busy, then the start of December went quiet, and that can be put down to the weather and Christmas being later in the week.’
