THE last-surviving direct descendant of Jersey-born philanthropist and businessman TB Davis has said she is “very pleased” that Howard Davis Hall has reopened to the public after it was shuttered in 2022.
Aylwen Lyddell, the only surviving great-granddaughter of Thomas Benjamin Frederick Davis – who gifted Howard Davis Park to the public of the Island in perpetuity in 1939 – previously said that she was “distraught” that the hall had been closed following a £750,000 restoration project.
Ms Lyddell said that her great-grandfather would be “turning in his grave” over the closure.
The JEP last year revealed that the hall had been open to the public on just 11 occasions since 2022, and that in 2023 its management was handed to a private company, Ghost Kitchen, to run it as an event space.
This newspaper has made repeated efforts to uncover the details of the deal using freedom of information legislation – but all were refused on commercial grounds.
Jersey Heritage this week confirmed that Howard Davis Hall will now be open from 10am to 3pm daily.
Going forward, I want everyone to be able to enjoy my great-grandfather’s unbelievable legacy
Aylwen Lyddell, great-granddaughter of TB Davis
Ms Lyddell, who lives in South Africa, where TB Davis made his fortune, said it had taken “massive sacrifices and huge commitment” to get the venue open again.
“I would like to thank everyone involved – especially John Carter from Jersey Heritage, who worked day and night to sort this out,” she added.
“This is something very deep within my heart. Going forward, I want everyone to be able to enjoy my great-grandfather’s unbelievable legacy.”
