Deputy’s business closed temporarily by "ridiculous rules"

Tuesday 11 January 2022

A town café owned by a Deputy said it had to close temporarily because of “ridiculous self isolation requirements” imposed by the States following the recent surge in covid-19 cases.

Taylors of Market Street is owned by Deputy Andrew Taylor, who was first elected to the States at the general election in October 2020.

In a post on its Facebook page, the business said last week that it was closing “whilst we follow the rules”, which it followed with hashtags spelling “not angry - just disappointed”. It has since announced that it is reopening. 

Pictured: The Taylors of Market Street Facebook page explained the reasons for its temporary closure last week.

Deputy Taylor has been one of a handful of politicians to rally against the range and seriousness of restrictions imposed by the States' Civil Contingencies Authority.

At a meeting of the States' Assembly in September, only he and Deputy Lester Queripel voted against a proposal on maintaining the Authority's emergency powers. 

At the time, Deputy Taylor told Express that he would be “open to a bit more government input” and that he “would rather see a deeper level of involvement from full government on how we go forward".

“I’ve been quite heavily impacted financially with both my businesses, but I’ve absolutely followed all the rules and I have no problem with it. I don’t envy the Civil Contingencies Authority having to make those decisions – it’s not something I think they take lightly at all," said Deputy Taylor in September. 

“I have been supportive, and I still am supportive, but if it [covid] is something we are going to have live with, so it follows through that government really should have a bit more discussion in some way, shape or form.”

Express has been unable to contact Deputy Taylor for further comment on the temporary closure of Taylors of Market Street.

Pictured: Deputy Andrew Taylor has previously questioned some of the restrictions and rules introduced by the States in response to the covid-19 pandemic.

During his previous interview with Express, Deputy Taylor admitted that he was reluctant to speak out publicly on the issue because of the inevitable reaction of some people.

“I do wonder if some people may be afraid to even raise questions or show any kind of hesitation because you get labelled an ‘anti-vaxxer’ – I’m double jabbed, I’m not an anti-vaxxer” he said.

"There is a part of me that feels, by asking questions or showing an interest in potentially doing something slightly different, that it may label you as an anti-vaxxer or a conspiracy theorist.”

Pictured: In a light-hearted post, Taylors of Market Street said this week that it would reopen when tennis star Novak Djokovic is released by authorities in Australia who have confined him to isolation in a row over covid-19 restrictions. And they offered a free coffee to anyone who looks like the world number one.

Pictured (top): Deputy Andrew Taylor owns Taylors of Market Street.