THE new occupants of the Havre des Pas Lido are due to sign a lease “in the next few days”, the Infrastructure Minister has said.
Commercial enterprise First Point are in line to win the lease after community group Love Our Lido pulled out of the long-running tender process to run and operate the site on Monday.
The group had been seeking to take ownership of the business operations at the Lido, but, in an email seen by the JEP, said the proposed government-funding was “wholly insufficient”.
First Point is run by Jason and Deborah Maindonald and St Clement Constable Marcus Troy – each of whom have a 33% stake in the company.
Mr Troy previously said he would “honour” bookings made at the Lido and that the venue would focus on community and create a “vibrant” atmosphere.
Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan said the First Point owners have “experience” running similar enterprises, such as La Frégate and a number of events in St Helier.
“We can all get excited,” said Mr Jehan. “If they are serious about the bathing pools, then we should get behind them.”
He told the JEP on Friday: “We expect a lease to be signed shortly with the other party [First Point].
“There still needs to be some discussion between the new tenants and the previous tenants on whether a deal can be made on any of the contents.
“Jersey Business have been handling the detailed discussions. I understand that we should be in a position to sign a lease in the next few days.”
Love Our Lido had held the top spot as “preferred bidder”, but the group said it wouldn’t be able to afford to run the venue without an annual £200,000 government grant.
The winner of the tender will take over the café, pool, showers and toilets rent-free with a £60,000 grant to maintain the historic venue.
Mr Jehan added that if Love Our Lido was “serious” about becoming a charity, he hoped the group would work with the new tenants.
Responding to criticism that government had been inflexible with the grant offered, the minister said that, had Love Our Lido been given the money it were asking for, government would have spent £1.8 million over nine years instead of £540,000.
“That’s why we were not flexible,” he said. “In terms of listening to the public, the public are telling us to spend our money wisely. I would suggest that that is what we’re trying to do.”
Mr Jehan said he would like to “look forwards, rather than backwards, and hope that everybody continues to enjoy the facility for many years to come”.
“Ultimately, we need to move on,” he added. “It’s just one of our portfolio of properties and we have spent far too much time on one property.”
