THE National Trust for Jersey could open its own charity shop at the former Grève de Lecq seaside café, or a sawmill to process its supplies of timber, the organisation’s new chief executive has suggested.
Alan Le Maistre, who earlier this month took over from Charles Alluto, recognised that the future of the site was currently the subject of public consultation but he offered his own thoughts on novel uses to which parts of the site, acquired with £3.6m funding from the government, might be put.
Commenting on the potential to mill and process timber harvested from the trust’s own lands team, he said. “No such facility exists on the Island and it’s a tragedy that our natural resources are being wasted, particularly when local hardwoods are so scarce and valuable.”
And Mr Le Maistre noted that fellow charities like Durrell and Jersey Hospice have their own charity shops which contribute important sources of income for their operations.
“There is an untapped niche in architectural salvage and upcycling, and we could look to fill that void. Also, there are hardly any second-hand bookshops in Jersey, despite being one of the most important sources of income for the National Trust in England. These are just examples. They might not be the answer, but there are so many opportunities for us to explore and we should do so with an open mind,” he said.
Mr Le Maistre described the gifting of the Grève de Lecq site to the trust as an exciting opportunity.
“We already have the funding in place for some redevelopment of the site, but ultimately, the full scale and potential of our plans will be determined by the additional support that we receive. Together we have the chance to make this tired and neglected site into a beautiful, environmentally conscious space, with wonderful public amenities that will enhance Grève de Lecq now and into the future,” he said.
Mr Le Maistre is the subject of the Saturday Interview on pages 10 and 11 of this weekend’s JEP.
