A protest is due to take place today outside the States Chamber in support of a proposition to halt the government’s tender process for the Havre des Pas Lido.
The demonstration marks the latest chapter in a nine-year saga surrounding the site’s management, with tensions mounting after community group Love Our Lido lost their “preferred bidder” status and a commercial operator was offered the lease instead.
The outcome could decide who ultimately takes charge of one of Jersey’s most cherished seaside landmarks – but how did we get to this point?
Express takes a look back at the history of one of Jersey’s most iconic seaside venues…
2015 – 2024: “Nine years of hell”
Marcus and Ana Calvani, of the BeServed Group, take over the venue and rebrand it as “The Lido”.
The couple takes credit for turning it into a popular venue for weddings, swimming and a café after longstanding issues with anti-social behaviour in the area.
But Mr Calvani recently described their time running the venue as “nine years of hell”, which he blames on the States landlord, Jersey Property Holdings.
July 2024
The BeServed Group was given a 380% rent increase, and negotiations to keep them in the venue fell apart in July.
Meanwhile, proposals to form a charity start to take form, modelled on a similar approach taken in Guernsey, and the Love Our Lido group form in the middle of 2024.
October 2024
Deputy David Warr proposes to the States that they should put the management of the Lido out to tender, which is accepted.
29 October 2024
The Lido Limited is served a notice to quit by the Viscount’s Department, requiring them to vacate the premises on or before Christmas Day 2025.
31 October 2024
Potential occupiers are asked to send in Expressions of Interest to Querée Property Consultants about the lease of the Havre Des Pas bathing pool and café.
The deadline for submissions is confirmed as 31 December 2024.
31 December 2024
Four Expressions of Interest are received – including one from the Love Our Lido group and one from First Point.
7 April 2025
The parties present their proposals to an independent panel.
7 May 2025
An email was sent to Love Our Lido and First Point confirming they had been successful in proceeding to the second round of the process.
3 July 2025
Final independent panel meeting takes place.
18 July 2025
Both parties are notified of the decision, with Love Our Lido confirmed as the preferred applicant with a collaboration period until 26 September to agree the contract and gain charity status.
20 July 2025
Love Our Lido confirmed acceptance and said the group was in the process of gaining charity status.
18 August 2025
Love Our Lido is sent a draft lease to sign, which the government says is the same as the terms that were issued at the beginning of the tender process in the information pack to applicants.
27 August 2025
Love Our Lido asks for a £200,000 contribution per year from the government to run the venue. The government says the group’s original brief suggested a possible underwrite of £16,000 and their Expression of Interest stated £60,000.
1 September 2025
The director of Jersey Property Holdings emails Love Our Lido confirming the group’s original submission did not include additional funds.
24 September 2025
Love Our Lido asks for an extension until 31 December to sign the lease.
29 September 2025
Love Our Lido is informed that, as the lease was not signed, they were no longer the preferred applicant and the reserve applicant would now have until 31 October to agree a lease.
First Point is informed that discussions will commence with them to agree a lease.
10 October 2025
First Point confirm that they are willing to sign the lease on the agreed terms.
31 October 2025
First Point Trading Group was announced as the winner of the tender, though a cooling-off period and the upcoming States debate mean they haven’t signed their lease yet.
They are due to move in in the new year, taking over an empty property as well as the pool and outside areas.
10 November 2025
Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan has a “constructive” meeting with the Love Our Lido group.
11 November 2025
States Members rejected Deputy David Warr’s attempt to reduce the minimum lodging period to allow the debate on the future of the Havre des Pas Lido to go ahead this week.
Had it been approved, his proposition would have required Ministers to interrupt the tender process, offer a lease to Love Our Lido, and promise to give them £170,000 a year for the site’s maintenance.
Charity commissioner John Mills also yesterday denied the government’s claims that Love Our Lido’s status could have been a problem.
In their response to Deputy Warr’s proposition, the Council of Ministers outlined a “key reason” for removing the group’s preferred applicant status, saying: “Ministers are not opposed in principle to the site being led and managed by a charity, but the reality is that ‘Love Our Lido’ is not a charity.”
Responding to their claim, Mr Mills said the only obstacle between Love Our Lido and charity status was agreeing to terms of a lease with the Government of Jersey.
In a statement, made to prevent “misunderstanding or misrepresentation”, he said: “I wish to place on record that there was no regulatory impediment to the charity being formed.
“The necessary arrangements for registration had been agreed with Love Our Lido. The only obstacle arose from concerns expressed by the prospective charity governors regarding the terms of the proposed agreement with the Government of Jersey.”
12 November 2025
A protest is due to take place today in support of Deputy Warr’s proposition outside the States Chamber.