Connor Burgher believes that a new identity will evolve for St Helier as the landscape of what is considered a traditional high street continues to change.
The question of how to attract people into town, given the rise in online shopping, has been one that has proved difficult to answer for many years.
And several planning applications have been submitted in recent months to turn empty retail units into restaurants or evening entertainment venues.
The most recent submission would, if approved, see the former Beghins shoe store – which stood on King Street for 174 years until 2019 – become a Parisian-style brasserie. Further applications to turn the old Quiksilver shop in Queen Street and the former Austin Reed and Jaeger stores in Halkett Street into restaurants and late-night entertainment venues are also under consideration.
Mr Burgher said he supported the introduction of new hospitality venues if it helped drive footfall into town.
He said: ‘It’s possible that town could be taken over by more restaurants. Online shopping, especially throughout the pandemic, has meant businesses have had to adapt and change, and I think it is a big factor in the removal of some retailers.
‘The traditional idea of a high street has changed over the years. It’s nothing new – it’s a process that occurs every so often and I think it is about St Helier finding its own identity.’
Mr Burgher said he was ‘glad’ that people were finding opportunity in empty spaces.
He added that ‘variety’ was central to his vision for the future of the high street.
‘I don’t want to see St Helier oversaturated with one type of thing. We need to have choice and options in our types of shops and restaurants.
‘The introduction of more restaurants could have a positive knock-on effect for shops. People may come into town to eat and then shop afterwards. It may also encourage retailers to set up here when they see how vibrant St Helier is and how often people are coming out to eat,’ he added.
St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft said the high levels of interest in investing in empty spaces in town showed the ‘resilience and vibrancy’ of the parish.
‘The introduction of more restaurants is part of an ongoing process of change but I think the key point here is that St Helier is still a very attractive place to invest in.
‘We have a great tradition of entrepreneurial activity and the flurry of interest in the hospitality sector shows people are realising that visiting St Helier is about the social experience,’ he said.
Mr Crowcroft believes that the trend of new restaurants and bars will continue to grow, but added that the retail sector should not be ‘written off’.
‘The retail experience is still a massively important part of town and there is a balance to be struck between the number of restaurants and shops on the high street,’ he said.
Simon Soar, chief executive of the Jersey Hospitality Association, said he would always welcome the introduction of new hospitality venues to St Helier.
He said the increasing number of plans for restaurants were a result of people becoming ‘increasingly creative’.
‘We tend to see lots of venues opening, all with their own unique style. People are getting creative and really putting passion into their business. Places like Crosstown and Awabi are great examples of this,’ he said.
