A FORMER minister has called on the government to rescind the notice to quit given to the company operating the restaurant and events business at St Helier’s historic Havre des Pas Lido.
News of the BeServed Group being told by its government landlord to end its operations at the Lido by the end of October has sparked concern about the future of the site.
Questions about the Lido were asked in the States Assembly by Deputy David Warr, the former Housing Minister, who is one of the representatives for St Helier South. This led to criticism of Jersey Property Holdings by BeServed for what the company said was a 380% hike in its rent. Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan defended the government’s role and accused the tenant of being responsible for unpaid rent.
Deputy Warr told the JEP he remained hopeful that a solution could be found.
“It’s become very apparent to me and the Lido Steering Group that we need a community-led solution, potentially using the recent example of La Vallette Bathing Pools in Guernsey,” he said. “I think it’s short-sighted for the government to say the issues with the Lido have been caused by the current tenant – they go way beyond that.”
Marcus Calvani, of BeServed, said the recent publicity had caused anxiety for staff who work at the Lido and concern from those who were looking to schedule weddings and other major events at the site.
Deputy Warr said he felt it would be “helpful” if the government withdrew the three-month notice period given to BeServed while the site’s future was finalised.
“This involves real people’s livelihoods and it would provide a bit more certainty – the current position doesn’t help anybody,” he said.
Mr Calvani said he had been contacted by many people offering backing for the work done by BeServed at the Lido since taking on the site in 2015.
Among the letters shared with the JEP were contributions by the Jersey Water Polo Association, which staged a tournament at the Lido last weekend to mark its 50th anniversary, jazz musician Giles Robson and renowned long-distance swimmer Sally Minty-Gravett.
Rejecting Mr Jehan’s claims about unpaid rent, Mr Calvani said that his company had worked with Jersey Business since 2021 “with complete open books” to analyse the position and had reached a full and final settlement agreed with the landlord.
Mr Calvani echoed Deputy Warr’s hope that a solution would be found through the Lido Steering Group.
“It is absolutely critical that Islanders understand that this site was gifted by the Jersey Swimming Club to the people of Jersey, and it is the people of Jersey that own this site,” he said.
“We only lease a minority-sized area of the site, which is the commercial interior space – we have no responsibility over the outside spaces or the pool itself.
“However, we understand the huge significance about the site as a whole place for our Island and believe that the solution the steering group is working on would resolve all the current issues and deliver a far better future for the Lido.”
