More Island history at the weekends

Thursday 02 October 2014

Jersey Heritage have had so many new members over the last three years that they can keep some of their sites open this winter.

Ten thousand people have joined – up 1000% - and the increased support means Islanders will get to see more of their local history at the weekends and the new opening times will hopefully encourage more visitors from France and the UK to Jersey during the shoulder months.

It is a very different picture to five years ago when Jersey Heritage faced a funding crisis – jobs were cut and the Maritime Museum, Occupation Tapestry Gallery and Hamptonne all faced closure.

Education helped bail them out after they had got themselves into million pound debt but it meant they had to make big savings so they closed Hamptonne in 2010 throughout the season and shut the Maritime and Jersey Museums for the winter.

Their new winter opening times will start on 3 November when the Maritime Museum will be open on Sundays, Jersey Museum will be open on Saturdays from November through to March and the castle gates at Mont Orgueil will be open from Friday to Monday each week.

Jersey Heritage’s Commercial Operations Director Jeremy Swetenham said: “This is a significant milestone in our journey to offer viable and sustainable heritage engagement for both resident and visitor communities.

“Three years ago we had to take the decision to close sites in winter.  We are in a very different place today and, thanks to the incredible support we receive from Jersey residents, we are in a position to offer an enhanced experience 12 months of the year.  We have responded to the demands of our increased membership who have signed up to a year-round offering, and to Jersey Tourism who have pushed hard to enhance the winter visitor options.”

There are now plans to enhance the exhibition at Jersey Museum so that there is more for visitors to see.

Jersey Tourism’s CEO David de Carteret said: “The Heritage offering in Jersey is of vital importance in attracting French and UK visitors for short breaks, particularly during the off season when fewer attractions are open. We welcome the additional opening days for the museums at weekends and will work with Jersey heritage to promote the additional availability of the facilities through our visitor centre.”