Who was it that said "The natives are revolting"? Well this one certainly is!!
This is Nigel's blog for airing concerns about current issues on Alderney, and he invites you to comment too. Add your own thoughts be they humorous, insulting, satirical, critical or even full of praise. This is your chance to join the revolution!
Fort Tourgis
It only took the Victorians 3 years to complete, but the States 30 years to decide what to do next.
This has always been a dodgy project - doubtful from the beginning.
A better solution would be sell it for development as Timeshare apartments, with a leisure centre which could be used by visitors and locals. This would bring visitors all year as happens in the Scillies, for example. And solves the Leisure centre problem.
why not run an international competition offering the Fort as the prize for the price of one pound to the person that comes up with the best development scheme. that may sound generous but so far its cost the Island over 100 K to market it to no avail and a competition like this if marketed properly would bring in massive FREE publicity for the Island and hopefully as the prize appears so valuable a lot of bidders. Whats to lose, a ruin !
A positive suggestion!!! Well done. Which I support. Tourgis is not an asset as it stands - or falls. It is a liability. It's value to Alderney is as an attraction for visitors, and it should be let at a peppercorn rent to the developer with the best scheme. Which should include a leisuse centre for all to use. And forget about the £400,000 to be spent on the airport terminal.
I hate to be negative about a positive suggestion - the Alderney disease I fear - but finding a good SCHEME really is the easy bit. It's finding the investor(s)with either debt funding or equity and who is willing to take a punt on Alderney - that is the really hard bit, especially in the financial environment such people/businesses have to work in these days. Alderney has to compete for investment with much less 'speculative' schemes in much better understood locations. This is the problem that Alderney has to address - whether it is for Tourgis, the Marina or any other scheme that has any chance of seeing the light of day. Sorry - but it is a tough old investment market out there and Alderney is a very long way down the list of 'attractions' to potential investors.
I think a good place to start would be to spend some money, on health & safety grounds, securing the site.The place is a death trap for the unsuspecting/inexperienced and an accident could easily happen because no attempt has been made to deter young adventurers or the merely curious. I hope the States' public liability insurance is all paid up!
I totally agree with Alderney Incoming 14 August. You only have to take a look back over the past 40 years. The amount of public money wasted on schemes, ideas, etc is staggering and nothing ever comes of it. As far as investors go, would you invest in an island where the States don't know what they are doing this weekend, let alone in 5 years?
In the same breath the States declared that the Dutch architects had lost their exclusivity on the site, they went on to refuse to consider an alternative proposal.
If they want to see it developed an advert in The Times etc, offering a 100 year lease for £1m should get a few responses. No need to give it away for a quid.
I know someone with a £24m development plan that looked at Tourgis and dismissed it.
I think Tourgis should be turned into a big shopping centre, lots of different shops, food places, cinema, activities, like a proper modern day place. Everything you would need. Then the town should be levelled completely and redone with swanky bars and small nightclubs, all the people who don't like loud music or drunk people - MOVE. Don't buy a pub and keep it shut just because you can't stand the noise 10ft away where your house is, you knew there was a pub there, so why move there?? It could turn into a proper holiday destination then, after all no one wants to go on holiday to try and peer through painted windows to see what used to be there. MODERNISE.
So Verweij and partners have raised their heads again re Tougis. If only they would stay out of those Dutch coffee shops long enough, perhaps we might see some action, and more importantly some money. Is this where the world economy went wrong, banks agreeing deals over coffee?
I guess this is the last we will be hearing from Verweij and Partners. Let's hope the States have learned a lesson here and the next time a "big time Charlie" or "Johnny come lately" comes a knockin' they have the Ed Balls to ask for some cash up front! Me thinks not.
The marina is the same arrangement is it not? Three posh guys were hand picked to build something using the profits from the lease of four posh apartments, how much money is there in fort conversions anyway? Feeding people on pies from the sky seems like a better business plan.
and now I see from the very out of date pages of the journal web site that a "resident" is going to have another bash at it! what ever next? someone who may actually succeed . . .
This has always been a dodgy project - doubtful from the beginning.
ReplyDeleteA better solution would be sell it for development as Timeshare apartments, with a leisure centre which could be used by visitors and locals. This would bring visitors all year as happens in the Scillies, for example. And solves the Leisure centre problem.
why not run an international competition offering the Fort as the prize for the price of one pound to the person that comes up with the best development scheme. that may sound generous but so far its cost the Island over 100 K to market it to no avail and a competition like this if marketed properly would bring in massive FREE publicity for the Island and hopefully as the prize appears so valuable a lot of bidders. Whats to lose, a ruin !
ReplyDeleteA positive suggestion!!! Well done. Which I support. Tourgis is not an asset as it stands - or falls. It is a liability. It's value to Alderney is as an attraction for visitors, and it should be let at a peppercorn rent to the developer with the best scheme. Which should include a leisuse centre for all to use. And forget about the £400,000 to be spent on the airport terminal.
DeleteI hate to be negative about a positive suggestion - the Alderney disease I fear - but finding a good SCHEME really is the easy bit. It's finding the investor(s)with either debt funding or equity and who is willing to take a punt on Alderney - that is the really hard bit, especially in the financial environment such people/businesses have to work in these days. Alderney has to compete for investment with much less 'speculative' schemes in much better understood locations. This is the problem that Alderney has to address - whether it is for Tourgis, the Marina or any other scheme that has any chance of seeing the light of day. Sorry - but it is a tough old investment market out there and Alderney is a very long way down the list of 'attractions' to potential investors.
DeleteI think a good place to start would be to spend some money, on health & safety grounds, securing the site.The place is a death trap for the unsuspecting/inexperienced and an accident could easily happen because no attempt has been made to deter young adventurers or the merely curious. I hope the States' public liability insurance is all paid up!
ReplyDeleteIt is secure. There's a big sign saying "Keep Out"
DeleteNothing in there anyway - all the granite fireplaces went years ago.
I totally agree with Alderney Incoming 14 August. You only have to take a look back over the past 40 years. The amount of public money wasted on schemes, ideas, etc is staggering and nothing ever comes of it. As far as investors go, would you invest in an island where the States don't know what they are doing this weekend, let alone in 5 years?
ReplyDeleteIn the same breath the States declared that the Dutch architects had lost their exclusivity on the site, they went on to refuse to consider an alternative proposal.
ReplyDeleteIf they want to see it developed an advert in The Times etc, offering a 100 year lease for £1m should get a few responses. No need to give it away for a quid.
I know someone with a £24m development plan that looked at Tourgis and dismissed it.
I think Tourgis should be turned into a big shopping centre, lots of different shops, food places, cinema, activities, like a proper modern day place. Everything you would need. Then the town should be levelled completely and redone with swanky bars and small nightclubs, all the people who don't like loud music or drunk people - MOVE. Don't buy a pub and keep it shut just because you can't stand the noise 10ft away where your house is, you knew there was a pub there, so why move there?? It could turn into a proper holiday destination then, after all no one wants to go on holiday to try and peer through painted windows to see what used to be there. MODERNISE.
ReplyDeleteSo Verweij and partners have raised their heads again re Tougis. If only they would stay out of those Dutch coffee shops long enough, perhaps we might see some action, and more importantly some money. Is this where the world economy went wrong, banks agreeing deals over coffee?
ReplyDeleteI guess this is the last we will be hearing from Verweij and Partners. Let's hope the States have learned a lesson here and the next time a "big time Charlie" or "Johnny come lately" comes a knockin' they have the Ed Balls to ask for some cash up front! Me thinks not.
ReplyDeleteThe marina is the same arrangement is it not? Three posh guys were hand picked to build something using the profits from the lease of four posh apartments, how much money is there in fort conversions anyway? Feeding people on pies from the sky seems like a better business plan.
ReplyDeleteand now I see from the very out of date pages of the journal web site that a "resident" is going to have another bash at it! what ever next? someone who may actually succeed . . .
ReplyDeleteWOW! the journal updated their web site - perhaps they will now also approve the comments awaiting moderation . . . and pigs might fly!
ReplyDeleteHow come the States haven't taken Victor's money yet?
ReplyDelete