FOCUS: £48k review deems Fort Regent out of shape

Wednesday 23 January 2019

"Damp", "smelly", "cold", and £150 per hour "simply to open the doors"... A damning £48k independent report has described Fort Regent as a "ticking time bomb" about to go off. But what's gone so wrong with the much-loved island landmark?

As part of a review of Jersey’s sporting offering, Fort Regent has been damningly outed as the most unfit of all Jersey’s facilities as the venue continues to rack up extortionate running costs all whilst posing significant “safety challenges”, throwing its future into doubt.

Referred to as a “ticking time bomb” in the report carried out by consultants Knight, Kavanagh & Page (KKP) costing £48,519, Fort Regent has been deemed “simply not fit for purpose”, with several areas of concern outlined in the 68-page document.

The report, which the States have apparently been sitting on since it was completed in November of last year, was published yesterday. Among its 14 strategic requirements, the report advises that the Fort should be closed and a new purpose-built wet and dry sports centre should be delivered by 2027.

Pictured: Fort Regent has been deemed "a ticking time bomb" by a report reviewing Jersey's sports facilities.

Taking a closer look at the rationale behind this “requirement” within this proposed overhaul of Jersey’s sport provision, the report identifies several concerns regarding the deteriorating site. 

Although KKP acknowledged that the Fort “delivers an extremely wide spectrum of sporting and cultural opportunities to its users”, they also “question the extent to which it really meets (or can ever realistically meet) contemporary customer expectations".

The Fort, the report continues, is “at the point where it struggles to do anything at an appropriate level of quality".

Elaborating on the venue’s failings, the report reads: “The general sporting offer at Fort Regent is simply not fit for purpose. It faces numerous specific challenges in relation to the condition, configuration and scale of the facility. 

“…the facility smells damp, it is very cold in the winter and far too warm in the summer, it is generally poorly presented, faces significant customer access and control issues and it would appear to be a ‘ticking time bomb’ of potential asset management and health and safety challenges.” 

Noting the expensive running costs of the venue, the report notes that “seven operational staff are required to be” on-site at all times, each paid an annual salary of £38,000 – a total annual cost of £266,000 just to cover these essential staff.

Pictured: An FOI response from October last year detailing all of Fort Regent's expenses.

“This equates to a minimum cost of £150 per hour simply to open the doors.”

Even if the States don’t follow the report’s recommendation to close the venue, it warns that Fort Regent may be forced to close regardless should any of the facilities worsen any more.

“It could, for example, necessitate immediate closure were… the external glazing for the facility… to deteriorate much further”, KKP urge. The report also criticises the Fort’s lack of accessibility for Jersey’s “ageing population”.

“Given the likely cost to address backlog maintenance and asset management issues at the Fort… there is a significant question mark over the longer-term viability of the current leisure offer remaining there. 

“Fort Regent is not a viable medium or long-term option for Jersey. The refurbishment cost of the facility would be exorbitant and the associated disruption to programmes and income generation significant. In short, an alternative option is needed to meet the sporting needs of Jersey residents.”

Elsewhere in the report, KKP appear to ear-mark the Waterfront leisure complex as a viable site for the “new large, wet and dry sports and sports events in St. Helier” which they say should be developed by 2027 to “replace and improve upon Fort Regent and Aquasplash”.

Pictured: The consultants appear to have ear-marked the Waterfront for the new sports and swimming centre in 2027.

The report reads: “The masterplan and related long-term plans for the St. Helier Waterfront need to consider the option to include provision of a new wet and dry sports facility post 2027.”

The States of Jersey Development Company (SoJDC) bought out the entire complex in the run up to this report being finished. 2027 is also when the first break clauses in the leases for Fitness First and Aquasplash come up, allowing for the States to potentially take back the site for their own use.