ISLANDERS are being urged to brave the elements and support their local beach-side cafés and kiosks as poor weather conditions force closures and threaten their survival.
The chief executive of the Jersey Hospitality Association has also reminded people that their actions are ‘crucial’ to help these businesses ‘stay afloat’.
Yesterday, the JEP reported that there had been more rainfall so far in August than in the entirety of July and August 2022.
Beach cafés and kiosks had to shut due to Force 8 winds, high tides and heavy rains, sending home staff and losing out on revenue needed to get them through the winter.
Ana Calvani, the chief executive of the Jersey Hospitality Association, said: ‘There are many barriers and challenges our JHA members deal with operationally daily. However, the recent inclement weather has certainly added to that stress.’
Supporting these establishments during bad weather, she added, was ‘crucial to ensure their sustainability, livelihood and contribute to the resilience of these businesses allowing them to thrive once the sun shines again’.
She added: ‘The wonderful beach cafés and kiosks mostly operate seasonally and depend on having a good turnout for the summer months to sustain them all year round.
‘By braving the elements and visiting them during inclement weather, we can help them stay afloat and continue to provide their delightful offerings.’
Mary Tunney, the owner of Mad Mary’s Bouley Bay Beach Café, said it was ‘devastating’ and ‘the worst summer in 20 years’ of running the café at the popular north-coast beauty spot.
‘I want to be open,’ she said, tearful on the phone to the JEP.
She added that she would endeavour to keep the café open when possible, and encouraged Islanders to stop by in their wellies.
Seaweed & Sand had to close both its St Brelade and St Ouen locations on Wednesday, with its owner writing on social media: ‘In the six years I have been doing this I haven’t had a summer like it.’
The message from Freddie Faulkner and Aaron Cowen of Kismet Cabana at Ouaisné was: ‘We want people to leave the house and go out, because we can after Covid, and we struggle if people don’t do that and when bad weather means they just want to go home. We do understand, but we are still here. Plus, we sell umbrellas.’
Clare Carney, who opened the Little Gem Café in St Aubin in April, said: ‘We’re still open. Come down and see us, and we’ll cater for people in any weather.’
Martin Nduta, a forecaster with Jersey Met, said the cold and wet weather would stick around until the weekend, but that the weather would ‘significantly improve’ into next week.
See tomorrow’s JEP for more ideas on what to do while the rain continues.
