Another attempt is being made to redevelop a long-disused harbour pub in St Helier – with the latest iteration of plans for the La Folie site proposing a 150-bedroom hotel.
Ports of Jersey has confirmed it is once again looking for a development partner to take on the site, which has been closed since 2004 and sits between the English and French harbours.
The latest plan would see the 18th-century building restored and converted into a hotel as part of the wider Harbour Master Plan.
But it’s taken a long time, and several stalled attempts to get there… will this one be successful? Express takes a look back at the history…
2000s
The La Folie Inn was for many decades a popular haunt for fishermen, sailors and Harbour workers, but today the dilapidated building and its boarded-up windows presents a very different picture, with the pub having remained vacant since its closure in 2004.
Not only has it remained vacant – but largely untouched too.
Inside, the pub is effectively a time capsule, as Richard Bitot, who left the Island in 1981 for Australia, having spent his childhood years there, discovered on a visit in 2023.
The bar was still largely intact, with walls still displaying price lists with crisps marketed at just 30p and a certificate naming La Folie Inn as ‘Best Tavern in Bloom finalist 1994’.
When it closed, it was hoped that the site could be brought back to life shortly, and in teh mid-2000s a preferred developer was selected to do so but failed to complete the process.
In 2006, the site was re-advertised for lease, but no tenant was found due the high restoration costs involved in dealing with a listed building.
At that same time, there was redevelopment of the surroundings including 14 flats, but the Inn remained untouched.
2010s
La Folie Inn was featured in various iterations of the Harbour Master Plan – a blueprint for regenerating the area – throughout the mid-2010s.
In 2015, Ports of Jersey officially became landlord.
An appeal for public views was launched in October 2015 in a bid to find a viable use for an area that by that point had missed out on nearly a decade of income.
By 2017, ideas for the area had begun to crystallise into a vision for a hospitality venue with an “upmarket” restaurant, bar and self-catered holiday lets.
But those plans appeared to fall by the wayside, in part stalled by the prioritisation of other key harbour developments, and, then, the pandemic to come.
2020s
As the island emerged from covid, La Folie returned to the agenda.
Between 2022 and 2024, Ports of Jersey ran market consultations and once again invited proposals from interested parties as they considered a new vision for the whole harbour area.
One suggestion, in 2024, came from Xanthe Hamilton – a project manager with the Granby 4 Streets team that secured the prestigious Turner Prize in 2015 after renovating housing in Toxteth, Liverpool – who suggested that the site should be developed by a community land trust.
At the time, hundreds of islanders took to social media to share their hopes for the La Folie site, with concepts ranging from a live music venue to a sea-themed restaurant and even a drive-through McDonalds.
2025
Yesterday, Ports of Jersey confirmed that they were going ahead with a hotel-based concept, and the procurement process begins today.
Officials said market study has suggested the 3,000 square metre site – which includes the listed pub and surrounding land – could support between 125 and 150 rooms.
“This site has sat quiet for too long,” Head of Ports Real Estate Marc Clayson said. “This is a rare opportunity to create something truly special that reflects Jersey’s past and its future.”
The vision has so far been supported by Visit Jersey and the Chamber of Commerce, which represents the local business community.
Tricia Warwick, CEO of Visit Jersey, said: “La Folie is a special site that links visitors to Jersey’s story. A thoughtful redevelopment could make it a standout destination, and a key part of the island’s tourism offer.”
Murray Norton, Chief Executive Chamber of Commerce, added: “Bringing the La Folie site back into productive use supporting the Visitor Economy is a fantastic opportunity for Jersey. It’s a prominent location with huge potential to support local business, create jobs, and contribute to the island’s wider economic vibrancy.
“We welcome this step forward and look forward to seeing proposals that balance innovation with heritage.”
Follow Express for updates…