THE Harbour Gallery in St Aubin, which has sold and exhibited art for more than 20 years, could be turned into a gym.
Plans have been lodged to turn the ground floor and part of the first floor of the property into a wellness centre and to retain the café.
If approved, the gallery would become one of a number of properties to have recently been converted into health and fitness clubs. A project to turn the former Austin Reed and Jaeger stores in Halkett Place into a ‘One Motivation’ gym has recently completed, with a post on the company’s social-media page announcing that the facility had opened.
And last spring, Strive, adjacent to Jersey Reds’ ground in St Peter, opened its doors. Since then, it has been used as a pre-tournament training facility for the British and Irish Lions as well as the England Rugby Union team.
Plans have also been approved to convert the ground floor of an office in Church Street, next door to the Town Church, into a gym. Ruff Ventures, a company owned by entrepreneur Jonathan Ruff, is behind the plans.
A design statement compiled by Waddington Architects for the Harbour Gallery site says: ‘The ground floor and part of the first floor has since been used as a retail store, selling artwork, and a café. It is proposed that these areas are to be changed to a fitness and wellness centre to serve the local area that lacks these facilities. For the avoidance of doubt, the existing café is proposed to remain, with meeting facilities on the mezzanine level.
‘The surrounding hotels and guesthouses do not currently provide fitness facilities. However, the tourism market has moved on and visitors seek fitness and wellness facilities as part of their holiday package. The proposed fitness and wellness centre provides a facility that not only supports tourism but provides an added facility for the local residential market in a more efficient use of land.’
It is also planned to turn a second-floor office into a one-bedroom self-catering apartment.
The JEP contacted the Harbour Gallery to see whether it would relocate – if plans went ahead – but a spokesperson declined to comment.
Construction is already well under way next door to the gallery at the former Gallichan Marine premises. The property was destroyed by a fire in 2015, which caused 20 nearby residents to be evacuated.
A planning application to build a four-bedroom home on the site was approved in 2019.
