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The owner of 'Bicycle Workshop Ltd' is trying to loosen the brakes that seem to be on a "messy and deteriorating" precinct he is trying to make a living in.
Andy Horsfall has slammed letting agent 'Voisin Hunter' on the lack of maintenance and marketing of the Les Quennevais precinct – a shopping square tucked in the corner of the parade – on social media for not helping the area to reach "its full potential."
Speaking to Express, Mr Horsfall described the deterioration of the area which he’s traded in for the past three years as "incredible." He says the precinct will “never be like Tuscany”, but it used to be a lot better when there was a representative of Voisin Hunter who genuinely cared for the concerns of the shop owners. “He was my ‘go to’ man, but since he’s gone there is no-one to speak to.”
The area has not only become unsightly, but it’s also having an impact on Mr Horsfall's business. "...Footfall has noticeably dropped, we are still doing ok but that’s because of the 60-hour weeks we are working and our loyal customers. Something really, really needs to be done. The States need to get involved," he explained.
Pictured: Mr Horsfall took to Facebook to alert islanders of the deterioration of Les Quennevais Precinct.
The Facebook outburst highlights the increasing number of empty shops in both the Les Quennevais parade and the precinct, which don’t appear to have ‘to let’ signs in them. The post attracted over 100 shares, with many people commenting that the high rents had stopped them from trading in the area.
The shop owner's decision to share his frustration on social media came after he got a fresh view of the situation he’s been working in: “I’ve just come back from holiday – the first one with my family for three years which I also used for business and making contacts – and even in some of the grotty areas of Amsterdam they still make work as they put flowers out. When I got back, I looked around and realised how bad it’s got, how much it’s deteriorated. I think I became immune to it before.
“I spoke to my neighbour about it yesterday and she suggested we write a letter, but I thought it would be better to put it on Facebook.”
Pictured: Aerial view of Les Quennevais Parade with the Precinct accessible from the top right corner of the car park. (Google Maps)
His neighbour, 'West Collections' owner Deirdre Bates, added her support online. “All the local independent small businesses work so hard to ensure that their own premises are great places to visit but the area itself is not attractive and due to the high rents & lack of investment from the owners it does not encourage other businesses to want to fill the empty units," she wrote.
Mr Horsfall says the lack of action by landlords is costing shop owners. “They are not maintaining the premises, I wrestle with my front door every day and the back door needs fixing. We have to do everything ourselves at our own expense, we spend so much time maintaining the properties.
“Another big issue is the paving slabs that were laid in the 1950s. I’m sure they are illegal, as whenever its wet or damp people fall over and crack their heads on the concrete - it happens on a weekly basis... It’s like they’re blind to it... We need to get through to the owners, through Voisin Hunter.” added Mr Horsfall.
Pictured: Andy Horsfall has shared some images of the empty shops that have been left to deteriorate.
Responding to the public call for action, Simon Buckley, the Director of Buckley and Company, who manage the lettings side of Voisin Hunters, said: “There isn’t sufficient demand for the level of rent that is acceptable to the landlord. Landlords should not be examined in public, it’s a private matter."
He continued: “[The area] is managed, and there is open dialogue between us and the association – we have no outstanding complaints. The flats above the shops and the owners of the shops are responsible for the maintenance of the properties. They are the ones who foot the bill so are the ones who make the decisions."
Mr Buckley said they had tried to encourage occupancy by allowing charitable organisations to use the empty units and add community vibrancy.
Pictured: Empty shops at Les Quennevais Precinct.
“We’ve put together plans for a Christmas fayre with a tree, lights etc. But less than 10% [of the parade association] wanted to get involved.
“…There’s always another side to the coin, and its easy pickings on Facebook. This is not for public criticism,” he added.
Mr Buckley also defended the alleged ‘lack of marketing’, telling Express that there are two agents who look after the area. That’s 50% of the total number of letting agents in the island who are aware of the properties that are available to rent in the market. He believes the empty shops are “not going to be missed just because there isn’t a board in the window.”
Les Quennevais Precinct is once again in the news as one tenant decries high rents, empty shops &a neglect. https://t.co/UfQAsIOfLz @stbrelade do we need #rentcontrol #emptypropertytax #governmentintervention ? pic.twitter.com/hhqfH3j5St
— Montfort Tadier (@DeputyTadier) January 11, 2018
Following the public outcry, St Brelade Deputy Montfort Tadier has raised questions on whether there needs more control on rent and the introduction of an empty property tax.
Mr Horsfall is determined not to let the issue be swept under the carpet: “I’m going to keep on it... I’m going to sacrifice the turnover in my shop as I need to invest time in this to see it through as people around here are too scared [of the repercussions] to speak out.”
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