Lukewarm reaction to Little Chapel tea room plans

Thursday 28 February 2019

Plans for a tea room and gift shop at the Little Chapel to pay for its maintenance and running costs, have been given a lukewarm reaction.

A straw poll run by Express found 62% of people were against the idea, with many saying they want the area left as it is.

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The team behind the restoration works had said a tea room, gift shop and toilets should be built to encourage people to stay longer in the area while spending money, which could then be spent maintaining the Chapel, and the surrounding areas.

The restoration work at The Little Chapel has so far cost £350,000, costing around £5,000 per month to keep the momentum going.

It used to be owned by the De La Salle Brothers, who were responsible for the land on which Brother Deodat built his tiny church out of broken crockery. In 2016 the Brothers gifted the Chapel to Guernsey and The Little Chapel Foundation was set up to fundraise to pay for the initial restoration work and the ongoing maintenance costs.

Jill Barnicoat was among those not wanting a tea room built near the Little Chapel, saying it would disrupt the atmosphere Brother Deodat created there.

"Definitely not. Essential to maintain the peace of this tranquil and spiritual area. Consider how the Brothers might have intended the Chapel," she wrote on Facebook. 

Karen Langlois also said a tea room would spoil a beautiful place, on the Express Facebook page.

Pictured: The little Chapel website has information on its history and plans for its future. 

The Little Chapel Foundation has previously said the restoration work should be finished by Easter now, with thanks given again to the "huge amount of time and work that has been freely given or at reduced rates by local tradesmen and professionals."

However, the Foundation also said once the work is finished, "it is imperative that we have on ongoing maintenance plan. We must avoid any risk of the chapel becoming derelict once again due to lack of regular maintenance."

With the Little Chapel always relying on donations to pay for any maintenance work, The Little Chapel Foundation wants to build on the number of visitors, saying on the Foundation website that they are "determined to create an unforgettable experience for visitors who come from around the world. Everyone living In Guernsey should take pride in their ownership of this iconic building. To paraphrase a well-known TV slogan...Love It or Lose It!"

To try and attract more donations, the Foundation, led by Jack Honeybill, had said it would be approaching all businesses in the Hospitality sector to enlist their support through collection boxes or corporation sponsorship.

Pictured: Jack Honeybill who had dedicated his time over the last two years to helping preserve Guernsey's beloved Little Chapel. 

If the campaign is successful one of the Foundation's aims is to create access paths for visitors with disabilities. 

So far businesses including Gusto, Da Nello, J B Parker’s, The Hideaway, Red, The Old Government Hotel and The Duke of Richmond Hotel, La Grande Mare Hotel and Golf club, Café Amelia, Mora, Balthazar, Le Nautique, Muse, Village East, Coco, The Boathouse, Les Douvres, The Captains, Dix Neuf and The Queens Hotel have all signed up.  

Express has asked the Little Chapel Foundation and Jack Honeybill for a response to our survey results. 

Pictured top: The Little Chapel.