PARISHIONERS, business owners, harbour users and visitors are being encouraged to take part in a community-led project to develop preferred designs for the future of Gorey Pier.
Antony Gibb, of the St Martin’s Conservation Trust, said those behind the initiative were hoping to speak to as many people as possible “about what they think is wrong [with the area] and what they would like to see”.
A free drop-in workshop will take place at St Martin’s Public Hall on Tuesday 3 March from 5pm to 7.30pm, as part of efforts to create a document that will help inform Gorey Pier’s future stewardship and management.
Feedback from the free event will be analysed by design practice and think tank Create Streets, which has been commissioned to collate the community data and compile a design code.
Mr Gibb explained: “Design code is a complicated name for a document which everybody signs up to for an area – how do we make it look better? How do we make it nicer? That is, in simple terms, what it’s about.”
The project has support from the Parish of St Martin and is being funded through a Creative Island Partnership grant alongside sponsorship from Ports of Jersey.
Mr Gibb added: “What we want is, when people come – particularly tourists – to be able to go ‘this is fantastic, this is a beautiful environment to be in, sit in, dwell in, spend money in, look at’.”
Gorey resident Jennifer Bridge, MBE, said: “I am delighted to see this community-led project commence, after an article I wrote for the Jersey Evening Post in 2025, and work by the St Martin’s Conservation Trust and others over many years.
“Particular thanks to the Parish of St Martin for their support, to Creative Island Partnership’s Heritage Strategy Grant and Ports of Jersey for making this first step possible.”
Matthew Jones, owner of The Moorings Hotel and Restaurant, described Gorey Pier as “a special place for our Island aesthetically, economically and culturally”.
He said: “Many people feel there is an opportunity to bring greater consistency and care to the small changes that shape its buildings, streets and public space and how it feels day to day for residents, local businesses, visitors and the local community.”
