The States will have to invest “significant” sums of money in Beau Sejour to keep it open and viable, following a review of the “tired and dated” leisure centre.
The review has outlined its “importance as a community asset” while also highlighting several challenges.
This includes the age and condition of the facility, under-performing and under-utilised areas, and the need to respond to future demands.
Co-Produced by the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture and ‘subject matter experts’ FMG Sport & Leisure Consultancy, the review says there are two options – major refurbishment or rebuild.
Regardless of which route is taken, the review concludes significant capital investment appears unavoidable, as doing nothing increases risk of failure and potential future closure.
review of beau sejour leisure centre
ESC President, Deputy Paul Montage said it is now clear that “there is a real, evidenced need for investment, and simply doing nothing is not a viable long-term strategy”.
“The Sustainability Review identifies that Beau Sejour’s future has reached ‘a crossroads’, and that is entirely accurate,” he said.
“The Centre has been improved and patched up incrementally over the years, but we’ve now reached the point where something more significant is undeniably required.”
He also warned that this is an issue seen elsewhere across Guernsey’s publicly owned estate.
“We need to look carefully at our major public buildings and think radically about how the island’s facilities can be made fit for the future, and this Committee is determined to take on that challenge,” said Deputy Montague.
The review found ‘Beausie’ currently delivers a “minimum estimated social value of around £1.4 million a year”. However, the review also found that value is limited by the building itself – which is 50 years old, and the mix of facilities offered that don’t align with “current or future needs”.
Despite a £10 million pound refurbishment at the turn of the century, ahead of the 2003 Island Games, the review repeatedly references a ‘patch and mend’ approach.
The pre-2003 refurbishment is not mentioned at all in the report, but the change in community needs since the 1970s is, with Beau Sejour repeatedly described as no longer meeting modern needs.
Any notion of closing Beau Sejour was ruled out in the review, with a new focus suggested that would set the leisure centre up as a “modern inclusive community hub or ‘wellbeing campus’, integrating sport, culture, health, youth, education, civic and wellbeing services”.
Sam Herridge, Head of Recreation Services, welcomed this fresh look at what Beau Sejour could offer in the future.
“We are incredibly grateful to the partners, Steering Group Members, Project Board Members, subject matter experts and all the other members of the community who gave their time so freely to this review and helped shape the evidence-based options for Beau Sejour’s future,” she said.
“The review begins the work of reimagining what Beau Sejour is for, and what it can be. The shared ambition we hear clearly is for a trusted, welcoming and inclusive place that supports everyday wellbeing, makes daily life easier, brings people together across generations and reflects the character and cultural identity of Guernsey.
“We look forward to seeing where this journey takes us. In the meantime, we’re committed to continuing the high level of service our community expects. This includes making the best use of what we have to remain the highly-valued community space that this review has shown Beau Sejour to be.”
Deputy Montague added that the “evidence base” provided by the review needs to be seen as “a starting point for the more detailed analysis and validation that must happen before any future commitment is made”.
“There is further work for us to do on affordability, deliverability and how these recommendations fit with wider island needs.
“The Beau Sejour redevelopment is included within the States’ Major Projects Portfolio, and the Committee now begins the work of progressing it.
“That includes testing both the potential and the appetite for change, and making sure the future of Beau Sejour aligns not only with the review’s findings, but with the island’s wider infrastructure challenges, service provision and community needs.”
More to follow…
