Good News, Bad Idea
I’m sure everybody is glad to learn that there weren’t any children murdered at the Haut de la Garenne children’s home after all. Not least the YHA, who had invested a significant amount into turning the place into Jersey’s first youth hostel only for it to become a centre of attention for all the wrong reasons.
Understandably, reports the Jersey Evening Post, they’re thinking of changing the name of the hostel. Unfortunately, the new name may not be all that helpful:
There is talk of rebranding it as the Gorey Youth Hostel or something similar.
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You claim YHA invested a ’significant amount’, how much!? do you know or not!? I reckon it was hardly nothing at all as the building was bought and redeveloped by the SofJ Gov and not YHA. YHA simply had a managemnet contract to run the site on their behalf. YHA lost very little when it had to close.
Name change or not, the building has ‘history’ and is still very much in the press and a hot political topic.
Comment by Mr X — 16 Nov 2008 @ 2:30 pm
From the YHA website………..
YHA has no plans to return to Haute de la Garenne on Jersey and has begun discussions with the island’s government about finding an alternative site.
A Youth Hostel was run at the former children’s home, in St Martin, since 2004 but operations were ceased when police launched a major inquiry at the site in February.
YHA had promised to keep its decision about its plans for the building under review until the end of March 2009.
But now Caroline White YHA’s Chief Executive has revealed that alternatives are being sought and a return to Haute de la Garenne is unlikely.
“The building is in a poor state of repair and so it would not be possible to restart operations without extensive remedial works taking place,” she said.
“We are also well aware of the nature of the offences alleged to have taken place and feel reopening while any legal proceedings are still active or pending would be inappropriate and insensitive.”
The hostel, which is owned by the States of Jersey but was marketed and managed by YHA, had proved an extremely successful venture.
And both parties remain keen for YHA to continue to operate on Jersey.
Added Caroline: “Both YHA and the States of Jersey were delighted with the mutually beneficial partnership we forged, and the way it was operating prior to the events unfolding earlier this year.
“Both of us also remain strongly committed to continuing to offer budget Youth Hostel accommodation for visitors to the island of Jersey.
“To this end, we are currently in dialogue to try and establish a potential short term fix - a site that could be used to offer accommodation for YHA guests as an interim measure.
“At the same time, we are working together to try and identify a suitable alternative venue that would serve as the next permanent YHA Jersey for many years to come.”
Comment by Mr X — 20 Nov 2008 @ 3:16 pm
“there is talk of rebranding it as the Gorey Youth Hostel or something similar”.
Surely Gorey would have been all too appropriate for the original site !
Comment by Lounge Lizard — 7 Dec 2008 @ 1:53 pm