Work on Victor Hugo Centre could begin in two years

Work to build a centre celebrating the work of writer Victor Hugo could begin in two years, campaigners have said.

The Victor Hugo Centre Group unveiled plans for the project in 2023 and said they still needed to raise "a fair bit of money".

Previously, the campaign said the work could be completed by 2027 if a £7m target was met.

Hugo had spent 14 years in the island while in exile from the French emperor.

He wrote Les Miserables, Toilers of the Sea, The Man Who Laughs, The Legend of the Ages and Ninety-Three at Hauteville House in St Peter Port.

Speaking on Victor Hugo's 222nd birthday, Tony Gallienne, director of the centre, said the idea to build the hub has "been around for 15 to 20 years".

Mr Gallienne said he thinks this is "a great time and opportunity to go for the project".

"We've got an advisory group of about 25 people and lots of enthusiastic supporters from right across the island."

The project is set to be built within the Tourist Information Centre in St Peter Port and will have three different floors.

The centre will be designed and developed by local architects, along with the museum, exhibition and interior designers, Casson Mann.

On the ground floor there will be an exhibition and on the top floor there will be an education hub.

Felicity Quevatre-Malcic, who is a supporter of the campaign and married to Larry Malcic, director of the Victor Hugo Centre Group, said the work was about "bringing [Hugo's] residence in Guernsey to life".

"The things that [Hugo] was campaigning for are absolutely as relevant today as they were then," she said.

"Social justice and universal education are very valuable principles which will be important in the centre."

Ms Quevatre-Malcic said the goal was also to have "a performance space where young musicians and young performers can showcase their talents".

Speaking about the role of the top floor, she said: "Perhaps young visitors from France can learn about Hugo's works and also to create their own work based on Hugo's ideas.

"Education is a really important part of the campaign and the education leaders developing a project to be used in schools.

"The idea is to inspire young people and carry Victor Hugo's visions forward so his ideas live on into the future."

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