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Big-name comedy acts are being blocked from the island due to a lack of suitable venues, an event organiser has warned.
Local promoter Neal Fryer has said the closure of Fort Regent’s Gloucester Hall in 2019 has made it difficult to bring big-name comedians to Jersey.
"The island has missed out on so many big comedy shows since Fort Regent closed," he said.
"It's really disappointing."
Mr Fryer's company, Star Stage Productions, previously attracted famous UK comedians to the island.
Jason Manford, John Bishop, Micky Flanagan, and Jimmy Carr, for example, have all performed at the white-domed venue.
Pictured: Fort Regent’s largest area, the Gloucester Hall, could previously hold up to 1,974 people.
However, the concert space was shut down in 2019 due to health and safety concerns after a report deemed its emergency exits, lighting, and signage unfit for purpose.
The situation has left the island without a large-capacity space to host big-name comedians for the past five years. Mr Fryer has had to look at smaller venues such as the Radisson or Pomme d'Or, where he has hosted comedy nights with lesser-known comics.
Mr Fryer said: "The Fort would hold 1974 people which was always a fantastic venue, but, for now, we have lost those big names."
He added that the Government's suggestion to use the 624-seat Opera House, which is currently undergoing a multi-million regeneration, would not be suitable for top-tier acts.
"Bigger artists would need to perform three nights to make it worthwhile, which is equivalent to one night at the Fort," he explained
To address this, Mr Fryer has called for the leisure centre to be returned to its former glory as a concert venue that once attracted world-famous artists.
While the Jersey Development Company has been recently confirmed to oversee the Fort Regent redevelopment, few details beyond a new skate park have been made public so far.
Pictured: Neal Fryer is the founder of Star Stage Productions, a company that specialises in bringing big name comedians to the island.
"We need to review the Fort and look at bringing it back to its former glory," he said.
"There is so much that can be done there, and it doesn't all have to come out of the public purse."
He suggested that a panel of independent industry professionals be formed to explore creative solutions.
"A panel of industry professionals that represent certain areas of expertise should be put together to explore the opportunities.
"This panel should lead the charge on this and not just provide research for the Government to be file it away for another few years.
"Let's take the bull by the horns and push through changes, minimise the red tape and take action."
Christian Jégard, a comedian who grew up in Jersey and now lives in Brighton, echoed the call for a better comedy venue.
He said: "It would be great if the redevelopment of The Fort included some adaptable entertainment space.
"It will be difficult to attract bigger named acts without this sort of investment."
"That said, I think the Opera House is a fantastic venue, perfect for comedy and I'm really excited about it reopening."
The comedian, who recently won his first film festival accolade for his parody ‘rockumentary’ about local music culture, also released a spoof film earlier this year that explores the lives of fictional employees from Fort Regent's past.
Video: Christian Jégard's 'Fort Stories' is a short fictional documentary interviewing three former Fort Regent staff members.
It revolves around interviews with three former Fort Regent staff members: a fitness expert, an entertainer, and a retired admin powerhouse.
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