Café has 'lost thousands' due to roadworks

The owner of a family-run Jersey café said it had lost thousands of pounds in earnings because of roadworks.

Road closures and diversions have been in place on St John's Main Road since November 2025 and are due to continue until February 2027 to allow for work on the sewer network in the area.

Hank Marvin chef and owner Joe Baugh said road closures were a "nightmare" for businesses and estimated he had lost about 50% of his midweek earnings.

Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan told a recent scrutiny meeting he was investigating the possibility of compensation for businesses which had lost earnings - but there was currently "no mechanism" in place.

Speaking to BBC Radio Jersey, Jehan added: "The challenge is the distance, the time and where we find the money but we are looking to see if there's any possible solutions.

"We fully understand the disruption to businesses both small and large."

Baugh said the roadworks were causing the "biggest set of diversion routes on the road in decades".

He said footfall had declined and the café regulars had stopped going because it was too far out of their way.

"We're a small family-run business... we all work incredibly hard," he said.

"We'll be lucky if we're here by the time the works are finished."

The government says the sewer network under La Grande Route de St Jean has been operating at full capacity, and the "major upgrade" was aimed at reducing the risk of flooding in the area and supporting new housing developments.

Jehan described it as "vital infrastructure work" which "has to happen".

In November, Jersey's economic development minister, Kirsten Morel, said he did not think the government was in a position to replace earnings lost by businesses but agreed to investigate "other mechanisms whereby businesses can be compensated in some way".

Baugh said since the roadworks began, he had contacted the Government of Jersey for help and support but had no response. He said he had to pay for his own signs to let people know the business remained open.

Jehan and his team said on Saturday he had spoken to other businesses and would be speaking with Baugh. The minister said there were signs informing people businesses remained open during the works, but just without names.

"If we look at signage, there's many signs north and the south of the roadworks that do remind people that businesses are open as usual," Jehan said.

Baugh said he welcomed the potential compensation from the government but questioned "how long" it would take. "It's not going to help anyone affected right now," he said.

Jehan added: "We've got to work harder in our communication to tell people and point them in the direction where they can find information.

"It's work that has to happen. For example, we advertise our resurfacing programme five and six years in advance and people are still surprised when the works happen."

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