Little Chapel phase two after Easter, aims to become "quality" tourist attraction

Thursday 21 February 2019

A foundation was gifted the chapel and the surrounding land by its former owners last year and has since begun in earnest plans to enhance the popular tourist attraction.

In peak season, cruise ships and taxis have been known to bring in 300 people every two hours, or 70,000 a year, to visit the 9 ft tall place of worship which is one of the smallest in the world.

Plans which will go to the States shortly include finer details about the scope of development mainly centring around disabled access via a trail above the chapel, suitable drainage system from the run off of the school car park above and a potential bus lay-by. A tea room and gift shop are part of the later phases of development but are seen as essential by some members of the foundation. 

The Little Chapel Foundation has spent close to half-a-million pounds on the site to date including £350,000 of donations, all as well as pro-bono work from architects and advisers.

It is now looking to be able to "stand on its own two feet" in terms of generating approximate £60,000 a year maintenance costs for keeping the chapel open year-round.

Pictured L-R: Eileen Silvester, John Silvester and Norman Hare of the Little Chapel Foundation, wooden posts around the door frame can be seen as part of the work to widen the entrance for visitors using a wheelchair. 

Chairman of the foundation, John Silvester, said the eight volunteers are not a business and get nothing back financially, but work on the project because of their love for what they see as the centrepiece of the island's attractions.

"There's a difference between a Mickey Mouse type attraction and a good quality attraction which is what we hope this will be. The disabled access trail absolutely has to be done, that's something we will go ahead with," he said.

The first phase of redevelopment which involved replacing many of the constructive inconsistencies and making the chapel building itself structurally sound is nearing completion. It is hoped that all the island's Deputies will attend the official last day of work on phase one at a ceremony on Easter Sunday. 

"We currently get around £40,000 a year in the donation boxes here and at the airport, we want visitors to feel even more so that they should donate to the cause because we show them something that is worth donating to," he said. 

Further work going forward includes making the steps below the grotto safe and rebuilding Brother Deodat's castle structure to the left of the chapel. 

Pictured: Geoff Simon of CA Duquemin who have been working on the final stages of the structural repairs to the chapel itself. 

"We want to create a trail and gardens so that people can spend a decent amount of time here when they do get here. There's no even really anywhere to sit. The disabled access is important because people come from all over the world and find they can't get anywhere near the chapel itself. In the future, a tea room would serve as a base for us to keep things belonging to the foundation and to reply to emails from tour operators etc." 

Chelsea Flower Show award winning gardener Stephen Welch has designed the gardens free of charge, which will also encompass a new drainage system to protect the chapel - which has no foundations - from further damage. 

A tea room of some description was also thought to benefit footfall to the attraction should marriage ceremonies be permitted at the site in the future. Although worshippers from every religious denomination are encouraged to the chapel the understanding, according to charity Secretary Eileen Silvester, is that certain civil ceremonies would not be able to take place. 

"It was gifted to us on the understanding that nothing at odds with Catholic beliefs from when it was given over would take place here so we could not hold same-sex civil partnership ceremonies for example. But we have had people get engaged and renew their vows, that's why we want to be able to keep a proper record of the visitor's book," she said.   

The Little Chapel Foundation are still £1m. off of their foreseen total spend to entirely refurbish the site and say while they are glad to have brought it back from the "edge of collapse" there is more that should be done.