Plans for Parisian-style brasserie at Beghins site

Friday 04 June 2021

The glamour of Paris could be heading to King Street soon, as proposals to create a new brasserie-style restaurant have been put forward for the old Beghins shoe shop.

The owners of 51-53 Broad Street have applied for a change of use, from the shop it has been for over 170 years, into a restaurant.

Pictured: The Beghins shoe shop closed abruptly in 2019.

In a design statement, architects Axis Mason Ltd say that the intention would be to create a “Parisian brasserie-style restaurant with a bar area for pre-dinner drinks.

“The restaurant will be informal but will provide high quality experience at accessible prices… [and serve] breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon service as well as dinner.” 

Plans accompanying the application show ideas to install a wine cellar in the basement, kitchens upstairs, and a bar and restaurant on the ground level. 

In floor plans attached to the application, Al Fresco areas at both ends of the property are also outlined.

However, the Design Statement emphasises that the application is for a change of use, and such developments like an Al Fresco area are currently not a part of it.

Pictured: The owners hope the restaurant would be open from 10:00 till 23:00 on all days except Sundays.

The new development would use the basement, ground floor and first floor of the building, but leave the second and third floors as residential flats. 

It is estimated by Axis that an estimated 35 staff would be required for the entire operation. 

Though it is still subject to confirmation from authorities, the design statement proposes that the opening hours of the restaurant would be between 10:00 – 23:00 on Monday to Saturday and from 10:00 – 16:00 on Sundays.

The statement acknowledges that the Island Plan (2011) does not permit the loss of ground floor retail space within the core retail centre of St Helier, unless it “does not detract from the primary shopping function and contributes to the vitality and viability of Core Retail Area of the Town Centre.”

Pictured: The new application's design statement says that neither D2 Real Estate and Sarre and Company have received a "serious offer" on the building.

Addressing the issue, it argues that “businesses such as our client, are increasingly seen as the perfect way not to replace retail, but to enhance the retail offerings around it,” and that it “can be justified through enhancing the evening economy.”  

Furthermore, it states that since March 2019, the property has been marketed by both D2 Real Estate and Sarre and Company, with neither agent receiving a “serious offer” during those two years. 

The 179-year-old shop closed abruptly in 2019, a year after it had been bought by a York-based footwear chain, amidst a dispute between the tenants and landlords of the property.   

It was announced the following month that Beghins had gone into liquidation, dashing hopes of a return.

The Planning Committee will make a decision on the application at a later date.