“Red tape is the noose around the island’s neck”

Thursday 24 February 2022

A local business owner has hit out at the "red tape" he says is constraining entrepreneurialism in Jersey, as he makes a "last ditch effort" to add interest to St. Helier's high street.

Mark Taft is the owner of French brasserie La Bastille, craft beer bar Biere Atelier and the Channel Islands Liquor Company (CILC).

CILC operate a distillery at Old Sail Loft on South Pier, St Helier.

Recently, CILC had plans to partly change the use of the premises to accommodate gin-tasting sessions unanimously rejected by the Planning Committee.

Pictured: Bier Atelier, owned by Mark Taft, offers a craft beer menu and al-fresco dining area on Hilgrove Street, St Helier.

"It was an absolutely mindless decision," says Mark.

"We had already significantly invested in the project, and that verdict has now majorly changed what we can and can't do.

"To successfully plan a development like that, you need to almost have a guarantee that it will go ahead.

"For the Planning Committee to turn around and reject it at such a late stage is severely damaging."

Pictured: Plans to offer gin-testing sessions at the Old Sail Loft on South Pier were unanimously reject by the committee.

To Mark, there is a dissonance between Government plans to "protect the high street" and the red tape which deters entrepreneurs and investors to open businesses in town.

"They want us to invest money, but when we do it is the noose around the island's neck."

Mark’s latest venture has involved transforming the unused Quiksilver site on Queens Street into FruitsDeMer, a "sustainable, local seafood business".

This constitutes a risky move for Mark, who suggests the plan constitutes a "last-ditch effort" to keep the high street interesting.

"We are continuing to try new things regardless because it is important to us. At this point, we may as well try something creative, something different. Despite everything, we care about the island and we want to add interest to St. Helier."

Pictured: FruitDeMer, which will be at the site of the old Quiksilver shop on Queens Street, is a "last ditch" effort to add interest to St Helier.

If the island's Government and politicians do not start supporting business owners, however, Mark thinks that the high street might be on its last legs.

"It's become so bad that we have been looking at take our business ideas to other areas, other jurisdictions instead," says Mark. "In most places the local governments support their investors and entrepreneurs."

Mark believes that a switch in philosophy is needed, from, "you can't do that," to, "how can we help you?"

"There are problems with the legislation," says Mark, "but even more than that there is a problem with the mentality."

"It has become so cynical."