Do you remember when Market Square in St Peter Port felt like something out of a dystopian movie, with empty shops and seagulls terrorising locals?
Well, much like the cold, wet weather we endured over the winter, those days are a distant memory.
Eagle-eyed islanders will have noticed the vibrant, expanded cafe culture that’s popped up in the centre of town since last year – with members of the public enjoying this week’s record-breaking weather with an espresso in hand.
So Express decided to pop down to have a chat with some people and see what they thought of town’s new vibe.
Dutch tourist Sandra Bunck told Express Guernsey’s main square was “even better” than many of those in the Netherlands – which has a vibrant cafe culture itself.
The Amsterdam resident explained there were “a lot of terraces [back home] so it’s all a bit crowded”, whereas the Market Square was much lighter and more open.
Ms Bunck said she wished she’d found the square earlier in the day, when she was having lunch, as it was “better for tourists”.
Arnold Hoekstra, also from Amsterdam, agreed with Ms Bunck’s comparison, as like the Netherlands Guernsey had “beautiful old houses”.
“All the old Dutch villages, especially the small towns, have 18th century houses so it gives it a very nice atmosphere.”
Mr Hoekstra said he enjoyed the square as it was “spacious – and no booming traffic nearby”.
Kai Townsend (21) told Express the reinvigorated Market Square “feels much more like a hub than it did before”.
Finance worker Lilia Trimmer (20) said she rarely visited the square before this year, unless she was going to “New Look or one of the other shops”, as it used to be “quite desolate”.
Now, the square is a nice place where you can sit to the side on the benches and people watch or just enjoy the sun.
Lilia Trimmer
Splash of colour
And it’s not just the Market Square that’s seen a welcome splash of new colour.
Despite the recent sunny weather, part of Le Pollet has been decorated in a canopy of colourful umbrellas.
The brains behind project, Senior Constable Diane Mitchell, said St Peter Port Douzaine had “been working for some time to make town a more attractive place for locals and visitors alike”.
The umbrellas, Market Square, and floral displays were “all part of that same wish”.
For those wanting to add another splash of colour to their day, the walk from the Market Square up through the Old Quarter could leave quite an impression.
Art for Guernsey’s Street Art Festival is back for a second year, with local and international artists diving in with an underwater theme.
One of the street artists, Charlie McFarley said that his mural – which features an octopus and Royal Guernsey Golden Goat – was created as a “celebration of Guernsey fishermen and everything Guernsey in the water”.
“Being able to paint a massive wall like this and having free rein on the design is quite rare,” he said, as in the UK many urban arts spaces were being taken over by advertising hoardings.
Another artist, Teddy Baden, said he hoped his work would “plant a seed” to encourage others to be more creative.
“There’s room for more bunting over the top of us,” he said.
“So that’s a workshop to be done with children, maybe – and it’s an immersive thing as you walk in and under it.”
Despite the overwhelmingly-positive response to St Peter Port’s recent rejuvenation, not everyone was focussed on relaxing in the sun, however.
One Facebook poster said the square “looks great but….where’s the Christmas tree going?”
Our thoughts? Bah, humbug to that!
