Retailers 'elated' by State purchase on Bridge

Retailers were "elated" and "hopeful" after the States confirmed it would be purchasing a site in St Sampson.

The States of Guernsey announced plans to buy the Leale's Yard site on The Bridge for £4.5m on Wednesday.

Earlier this year it had pulled out of a deal to spend about £35m on the project to support the Channel Islands Co-Operative and developer Omnibus with the scheme.

Martin Search, owner of Ray & Scott Jewellers, said he was "absolutely elated" by the purchase.

He said: "I honestly didn't think it would happen in my lifetime and I think it is going to happen this time.

"I honestly think it's gone on too long but we've got so close now to the point of the negotiation and where they bought it and where they've actually put their hands in the pocket."

Shop owner Dave Perchard said he was "hopeful that something is actually going to happen this time".

He said: "I've traded on The Bridge for 30 years now, and even 30 years ago I was concerned as to what the future for my shop was going to be because of Leale's Yard.

"Here we are 30 years later and nothing's happened, but it really looks positive this time."

Deputy Steve Williams, President of the Housing Committee, said it was a "great opportunity" for the States to improve the area.

He said: "It's been derelict for a long time and we saw through the election period a lot of the public were really keen that something happened with Leale's Yard.

"We desperately need housing in the island, this is such a brownfield site... it's really good derelict land to make some good opportunity for new housing."

Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure President Deputy Adrian Gabriel said work had to be done to improve the roads.

He said: "The road network at the moment won't certainly cope with extra housing, so this site is ideal for generating some transport links to help the surrounding area residents and anyone visiting.

"It's brilliant that we've been able to capitalise on this and invest in this site... this site has been derelict for many a year so now it's wholly in the state's hands."

Lisa said the States needed to provide more housing for its islanders.

She said: "Hopefully it's a good thing and it'll be redeveloped into new homes which are desperately needed in the island.

"I think The Bridge needs a bit of a facelift... we need houses, it's a unique site."

Islander Martin disagreed: "More houses, more people, we haven't got the infrastructure in this island.

"What the bridge needs to make it more vibrant is more shops... make it look nice, a nice shopping precinct [and a] nice big car park."

Debs said she was worried about the impact on the local school.

"For me, I feel it's bursting at the seams already - adding all that extra housing in one spot, that concerns me."

Andrew said he was not convinced things would change: "It's been going on for a few years now and I don't think they're going to do much with it.

"That's not going to happen within a year, I reckon give it another five years and it'll probably still be the same."

Islander Robert said this was "just what the bridge needs": "For the footfall that will come out of the building project and with Quayside work going on when that's in place there's going to be a lot more commercial benefit from it."

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].