THE Housing Minister has said his political party is “no longer welcome” at a coffee shop run by his predecessor – after being told its members needed to hold their monthly weekend constituency surgery somewhere else.
Deputy Sam Mézec took to social media to reveal that Reform Jersey’s St Helier South Deputies would not be holding their regular meeting at the Cooper & Co at the Waterfront anymore.
He told the JEP this was because he had received an email from the coffee business’s owner, Deputy David Warr – who Deputy Mézec recently replaced as Housing Minister – saying the meeting was causing “an adverse reaction”.
Speaking to the paper, Deputy Warr stressed that he had not “banned” Reform, but confirmed that he had asked them to find somewhere else to hold their surgery.
He said this was because he had “unfortunately had a number of messages” from people criticising him for letting the political party use the premises.
One text message, which Deputy Warr also shared on social media, said that having the new Housing Minister “holding court” at the coffee shop was “rubbing your nose in it”.
“It is simply about the surgery,” Deputy Warr added, explaining that Reform members were still welcome in the shop.
“It is the act of promotion”.
However, Deputy Mézec said the surgery “wasn’t promotional” and that the party’s members were simply there to listen to and help their constituents.
“I don’t even know if I can be a customer of Coopers anymore,” he added, arguing that the same type of criticism could occur if he was spotted in a queue or having a coffee.
Noting the timing of the situation, Deputy Mézec described it as a “revenge eviction”.
“We always had his permission previously – there hasn’t been a problem until now.”
However, Deputy Warr said that the situation had simply reached a “tipping point” and had nothing to do with recent political events, although he admitted the timing was “awkward”.
“I have to bear in mind that it is a business environment and the situation needs to be conducive for customers,” he added.
Some social media commentators weren’t convinced however, with one claiming the former minister was “salty”, while another said: “Toys out of pram springs to mind”.
