TOWN CRIER THE OFFICIAL PARISH OF ST HELIER MAGAZINE June 2021 In partnership with the TOWN CRIER THE OFFICIAL PARISH OF ST HELIER MAGAZINE TOWN CRIER THE OFFICIAL PARISH OF ST HELIER MAGAZINE Kelly Pontes, St Helier's Young Ambassador, flanked by Normandy Veterans, Harry Fenn, Billy Reynolds, Richard Wraight and Ernest Thorne WELCOME WELCOME TO THE JUNE ISSUE OF TOTHE TOWNWN CRIER... CRIER We were delighted to be able to host how the Parish has spent their money the D-Day commemoration on Sunday during the past year and what it plans 6th JuneTHE as no event OFFICIAL was possible to spendPARISH it on in the year OFahead. The ST HELIER MAGAZINE last year due to the pandemic. It was Constable is hoping that parishioners will a pleasure to be able to welcome the agree to set the Parish Rate at the same Island's Normandy Veterans to lunch level for the eighth successive year, as a after the wreath-laying at the Cenotaph, result of the Parish's good housekeeping Above: It’s that time of the year again! Branchage details can be found in the Parish Notices section even though continuing restrictions on and prudent spending and despite the Below: Jersey’s Bailinho group of folk dancers will be helping celebrate Madeira Day in St Helier on the size of indoor gatherings meant that extra financial pressures caused by the Thursday 1st July we were unable to have the usual vin pandemic. d'honneur which allows members of the It is encouraging to see so many public the chance to talk to our veterans people taking advantage of their about their experiences. renewed freedom to visit St Helier for As our Island continues to recover from shopping, meeting family and friends the range of difficulties, pressures, and to enjoy our parks and gardens constraints and tragedies caused by and public spaces. The Parish is grateful the Coronavirus pandemic, it is to be to its staff and volunteers for all their hoped that we will be able to resume our hard work which enables St Helier to normal programme of community events flourish and to be a clean, safe and and festivals. At the time of going to welcoming environment. press there are plans to hold a number For advice and information about all the of these during the summer and details services the Parish provides, or to get are provided in this month's issue. more involved in Parish life, please go to Early next month sees the annual Rates the Parish website, www.sthelier.je, Assembly meeting in the Town Hall when email [email protected] or ratepayers are encouraged to scrutinise telephone 811811. TOWN HALL: PO Box 50, St Helier, Jersey, JE4 8PA Opening Hours: 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday Phone: 01534 811811 Email: [email protected] www.sthelier.je 02 | | JUNE 2021 CONSTABLE’S PARISH MATTERS COMMENT BACK IN THE SWING OF THE ST HELIER HISTORIC TOWN WALKS After the very successful first series of charge. They depart from the Town Hall every guided walks around town in 2019 led by Thursday at 10.30am, returning at about TUMBLEWEED? members of the Jersey Tourist Guides 12.30pm. Although you can just turn up on Association, the Parish of St Helier is delighted the day, some of the walks do have limited WHAT TUMBLEWEED? to announce that the historic town walks are numbers so it’s best to book your free place via In the recent States' debate, and restaurants for eating out back next month, with the first walk taking Eventbrite’s website (search for ‘St Helier Free one Member suggested that and socialising, and experts place on Thursday 1st July (subject to Covid 19 Walks’, https://bit.ly/2RAi74C), where you’ll also our town centre is in such dire in the field advise me that restrictions being sufficiently eased by then). find more detailed information on each walk, or straits that tumbleweed will the improving performance In case you’ve not been to town for a while, you can telephone Tom on the number above. soon be seen in the precinct. of such businesses indicates Pete Webb will kick the series off with a walk We look forward to seeing you between now This is, of course, complete that working from home, a around some of his favourite sites - some you’ll and the last walk on 28th October. nonsense, as any visitor to necessity during the pandemic, know and others probably not. Next, ahead of town will observe. Yes, there is losing its appeal as staff Bastille Day, we’re trying something new this JULY are some 'To Let' and 'For rediscover the advantages year with Janine Buckley undertaking a walk in 1st July Pete Webb Sale' signs to be seen in the of working face-to-face with French; please let us know if this is something St Helier Old and St Helier New – something windows of empty shops but colleagues and customers, you’d like repeated during the year. The first special just for you St Helier has, as always, far and of popping out during two walks will be followed by a celebration of St Helier Day, with a new look at structures fewer of these than will be seen breaks to enjoy all our town 8th July Janine Buckley around the harbour and an interesting take on in towns of comparable size. At has to offer. A Town Walk in French the same time, we are seeing the history of the town. Just as important to the 15th July Tom Bunting premises which have been We’re still putting the programme together, so health of our town centre The Headless Monk empty for some time - such as if there are any walks you’d like repeated from is the growing number of Hamons, boasting alternative 2019, or any aspect of St Helier you’d like us to 22nd July Melanie Cavey people who are choosing signs telling us that they have cover in more detail in a walk, please let Tom Iconic sites around St Helier’s Harbour to live as well as to work in been let, or are under offer, Bunting know on 07797 780868. while shops like Burtons and town: as more and more 29th July Clive Jones Top Shop, whose closure was outworn offices and hotels are The Town walks, which are mostly easy All the right history, not necessarily in the brought about by the collapse converted into apartments, strolls, are open to anybody and are free of right order of the UK chain, have been we can expect to see lots of the subject of intense bidding new town residents for whom wars by local investors. Burger having a vibrant town on King is re-opening, a new bar their doorstep is one of the is being created in the shop advantages of urban dwelling. vacated by Jersey Pottery in The Parish will continue to do Waterloo Street, Beghins shoe all it can to support our retail, shop is going to become a hospitality and service sectors, new restaurant in King Street, by providing for al fresco and the former BHS, Austin activity where possible and Reed and Jaeger stores are all helping businesses deal with having major refurbishments - the inevitable red tape; we will the list goes on and on. also do all we can to ensure Part of the health of our town that town residents have the centre is due to the large best possible quality of life, number of office workers who especially in terms of access to take advantage of St Helier's green space, good transport many cafes, sandwich bars links and parking facilities. non-rates income under severe BALANCING pressure; however, the Parish’s strong financial position has allowed ST HELIER’S it to support both parishioners and businesses during these challenging times. We have also managed to BOOKS maintain and enhance our excellent I can’t believe that another year levels of service during both periods has passed and the Annual Rates of lockdown. Assembly will soon be upon us. I am delighted that despite the At this meeting, the Assembly will negative effects of the pandemic, be asked to approve the audited which we estimate to have cost financial statements for the year the Parish approx. £450k over this ended 30 April 2021 and the budget and the receding financial year, we and Parish Rate for 2021-22. It is the have maintained our stability, which Constable’s intention to recommend allows us to maintain the rate at retaining the rate at 1.15p for the 8th current levels if ratepayers agree. successive year. The Annual Rates Assembly will St Helier’s Senior Management take place on Wednesday 7th Team will be making a presentation July at 7pm, and paperwork for at the Assembly, and I will cover the the meeting will be available from financial year 2020-21, the budget Wednesday 30th June via our and the Parish Rate sections of the website, www.sthelier.je, or from the presentation. Town Hall. 2020-21 has been another If you have any questions, please challenging year dominated by contact Neil Macdonald at 811829 the pandemic, which has seen [email protected]. SUPPORTING THE ROMANIAN COMMUNITY IN JERSEY Over 330 people from the Romanian community in Jersey took advantage of a consular visit last month to have their passports renewed and other questions answered at the Town Hall. JUNE 2021 | | 03 HISTORIC ST HELIER: FIRE! It was around midnight of 12th/13th May 1921, that Mrs Osmond, who lived opposite the Opera House, was woken by the sound of breaking glass.