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From: Jeanette Jackson [ Sent: 26 November 2013 12:38 To: Scrutiny
Subject: RETAIL POLICY
FOR THE ATTENTION OF DEPUTY STEVE LUCE - ECONOMIC AFFAIRS ******************************************************** Dear Deputy Luce ,
I have read the Scrutiny Matters leaflet and, on the matter of Retail Policy, I thought you might like to read a copy of a letter I sent to Senator MacLean some weeks ago. He didn't reply so I do not know what he thought of it but Constable Crowcroft - to whom I sent a copy - was quite enthusiastic.
Good luck with trying to bring Jersey into the 21st century! Yours sincerely, J. A. Jackson (Mrs)
From: Jeanette Jackson [
Sent: 26 November 2013 12:39
To: Scrutiny
Subject: Fw: SUNDAY OPENING OF ALL SHOPS
Dear Constable Crowcroft , I thought you might like to see a copy of this e-mail I have sent to Senator Maclean as, obviously, any future developments regarding Sunday opening will mostly affect St. Helier . I hope you can see some merit in my argument. Sincerely.
Dear Senator Maclean,
In response to the article in the JEP of 1st October concerning the opening of all Jersey's shops and Garden Centres on Sundays, I would like to applaud this move. It is well past time that Jersey Tourism woke up to the fact that - no matter how much money is spent on advertising - if they truly want, and expect, the island to become a popular tourist destination they MUST move with the times. In the past, every time Sunday opening has been mooted, there has been a barrage of outrage from the religious sector along the lines that we will all go to Hell if normal activities are allowed on Sundays, and, sadly, it has been listened to. It is quite insulting really that the public should be treated like children unable to make their own choices as to what they wish to do with their leisure time. How can any intelligent person believe that a vibrant town atmosphere on a Sunday, with shops and cafes open (and maybe street music) can result in people becoming Godless? It's akin to the enforcement of chastity belts!
I lived for several years in The Netherlands, in Leiden, which has a town centre about the size of St.Helier. There all the shops are open throughout the year on Sundays from 12 to 5 and on Thursday evenings until 9pm. There is also a covered market selling clothes, shoes, leather goods, accessories, cooked food, flowers, fruit and vegetables etc. every Saturday come rain, hail or snow! The Dutch are a very religious people and, between the hours of 9am and 12 noon bicycles are stacked in hundreds outside churches which rather proves that Sunday shopping hasn't adversely affected their beliefs.
I live almost next door to the Samares Coast Hotel and, whilst waiting for the bus into town, often have conversations with holidaymakers from there and I cannot tell you the number of times the shopping issue has come up and their disappointment that no Garden Centres are open on Sundays; they all say that, unless the weather is really lovely, there is nothing to do - after all, not all people enjoy the beach or are interested in, or can afford to visit our castles but would be happy to stroll through town and stop at a pavement cafe for some refreshment.
Jersey is expensive, there is no doubt about that, the things such as cheaper alcohol, tobacco products, jewellery and perfume no longer exist - a fact which tourists find hard to accept when
they are constantly drawn in with the promise of "NO VAT" which we who live here know is a lie. The island is, of course, naturally beautiful but so is Devon, Cornwall, the Lake District et al, its beauty cannot be used as an excuse for not providing other amenities which are, pretty much, standard in other tourist areas.
Please don't let the usual issues deter you from promoting this idea, there are already many people who work on Sundays and have a day off midweek in lieu; there are also many husbands/fathers who spend a good few hours in the pub on Sundays rather than with their families so that argument doesn't hold water either.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Yours sincerely, J. Jackson (Mrs)