A well-known east of island farm shop and café has closed with the loss of 20 jobs.
Holme Grown in Grouville shut its doors this week, although the Hospice shop operating from the site will remain open.
Owner Stanley Payn described the decision as “heartbreaking” and said his family’s efforts to make the business viable had been repeatedly frustrated by the planning process.
“It is a very, very sad day for us,” he said. “We’ve tried so hard to make sure that we change with the times but, at the end of the day, we’ve got 30 acres here and we haven’t been able to do anything with it, planning-wise.”
Mr Payn said a delay to plans for the Hospice shop had proved the “final straw”, adding that the business had been trying to recover ever since.
Over the years, various proposals have been put forward for the site, including a care home and a medicinal cannabis facility. While the care home was refused, the cannabis proposal ultimately failed to proceed despite receiving planning approval.
“I feel I’ve had my legs cut off by the planning system,” Mr Payn said.
While the closure brings an end to the farm shop and café, he said he was pleased that the Hospice shop would continue operating from the site.
