Terminal for The Terminal: Harbour restaurant plans axed

Thursday 04 January 2018

An “ambitious” project to start a BBQ smokehouse and craft beer restaurant with live music at Elizabeth Terminal has run aground following a breakdown in the relationship between Ports of Jersey and the restaurant’s operators.

It was announced via Facebook last night that ‘The Terminal GBJ’ – as the restaurant concept was due to be called – would be axed after operators were presented a contract that did not mirror the original agreements between parties.

Ports of Jersey are now looking for new talent to take on the space. 

The venture began life in 2014 when Ports of Jersey selected local hospitality entrepreneur Marcus Calvani, who also runs La Cantina, JBs and The Lido at Havre des Pas, to design a concept for the Harbour’s empty restaurant space after a tender process.

His team would not receive a return on the venture until it was built, from which point they would operate and lease the space.

Pictured: Mr Calvani and his team were due to operate the new restaurant at Elizabeth Terminal once construction, which was due to be funded by Ports of Jersey, was complete.

Ports of Jersey, meanwhile, took on responsibility for construction of the facility. 

But the local produce-fuelled project – the largest in Mr Calvani’s portfolio – came under numerous setbacks. These ranged from construction difficulties to battles to secure the licenses needed to make the concept a reality.

While work continued, the Terminal GBJ team offered to operate a small kiosk at the Harbour at their own cost. But the food and beverage stand, which was initially intended as a temporary measure before the restaurant was complete, ended up in place for more than three years. 

Pictured: The facility was intended to be "contemporary dock style industrial" and would feature a smokehouse, craft beer, alfresco dining and entertainment.

Struggling without a kitchen space, it also suffered through the “very peak and trough nature of harbour operations”, incurring losses to Mr Calvani.

After four years, a new contract was put on the table, but a mutually acceptable solution was not found. Both Terminal GBJ and Ports of Jersey expressed their regret at the situation.

Although the project will now be axed, staff employed as part of the project will not lose their jobs. They will instead be relocated to one of Mr Calvani’s other facilities. 

Pictured: Marcus Calvani, the hospitality expert behind the Terminal GBJ concept.

The team have also agreed to continue operating the kiosk “as a courtesy to the travelling public.” 

They also assured that they remain “100% dedicated to the local hospitality industry” and will aim to redeploy some of the “exciting elements” promised by Terminal GBJ in Mr Calvani’s other restaurants.

A statement read: “4 1/2 years of trying is enough! In fact far far too much and it is with great sadness that Ports of Jersey and ourselves have decided to part ways.

Pictured: Terminal GBJ will continue to operate the kiosk area as a courtesy.

“…Sorry to disappoint all those that were so excited about The Terminal GBJ, we are completely gutted that it has come to this, we must now take the energy and effort that the last 4 years have taken into this vision and spread it elsewhere into our amazing industry that we are totally dedicated to."

Ports of Jersey commented that they were "very disappointed that we could not get to a point, which would allow us to realise the full vision of the concept, but recognise in business that this happens."

They explained in a statement that they acknowledged difficulties in early 2017. According to Ports of Jersey, some of the delays had been attributable to "the poor state of the facility when it was originally vacated, being over ambitious in our initial design work and periods of distraction from the project for both Ports of Jersey and Terminal GBJ."

Pictured: Ports of Jersey are currently seeking a new operator in a bid to open a café facility by summer 2018.

Terminal GBJ denied that this was the case, however, stating: "Despite media releases of ‘over-ambition’ and ‘lack of focus’ we created a concept that met everyone’s needs, that both locals and travellers could enjoy and that islanders could be proud of, that was investable and met the returns of the Ports. We never delayed this project and never took our focus off it. It was defiantly ambitious in many ways and we were very proud of that, we were never going to put our names to something average that just met the needs!"

Ports of Jersey added that they were "grateful" for Terminal GBJ's continued operation of the kiosk.

The authority say they are now in the process of engaging with other potential operators and aim to open a café by summer.

" We recognise the regulatory and operational challenges of hitting this objective, but we are seeking the fastest possible solution.”