Constable steps down from Lido business just months after takeover

A States Member who was a shareholder in the business which took over Havre des Pas Lido has ceased his financial involvement due to other “priorities”.

Marcus Troy, the Constable of St Clement, confirmed to Express this morning that he no longer held a 33% shareholding in First Point Lido and had stepped down as a director.

“I haven’t got the time”

Mr Troy said he had made the move as a result of his other commitments, including both his responsibilities as a States Member and work on his other business interests, which include the Runnymede Court Hotel and La Frégate Café.

The 33% shareholding formerly held by Mr Troy had been “absorbed” by the other directors, Jason and Deborah Maindonald, he confirmed.

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He said: “I haven’t got the time – the hospitality industry ebbs and flows and I’ve had to adjust my priorities in order to focus on other areas.

“It’s all very amicable, we remain friends and I’ve said that I’m willing to help them out as required, for example if they need to borrow staff from my other businesses.”

“It’s not been the disaster that was predicted”

Mr Troy admitted that the process leading up to First Point Lido taking over the hospitality business and adjacent bathing pool at the start of April had been challenging as a result of controversy over the government’s ending of the former tenancy, but said he was pleased with how the site had operated over the past three months.

“It’s not been the disaster that was predicted by some people,” he said.

“I think the business has built up a good relationship with those who use the Lido, and I know the swimmers who use the pool every morning appreciate the free coffee they get.”

The Lido’s new operators have already hosted a number of events at the premises, including the Portuguese Spring Festival.

The next key date in the Lido calendar is this year’s Havre des Pas Seaside Festival, taking place on the weekend of 25 and 26 July.

Pictured: The annual Havre des Pas Festival attracts significant footfall each year in and around the Lido.

The date was confirmed at a recent meeting of the Havre des Pas Improvement Group, where Mr Maindonald also revealed that the entire site has now been brought under a premises licence.

The move means the licence now covers the whole Lido site, including the promenade linking the venue to the road, rather than just the building itself.

Mr Maindonald said the change would give operators additional powers to tackle anti-social behaviour, including under-age drinking and disorderly conduct.