The housing issue that's being ignored

THERE is a slight irony in the fact that the former St Anthony's Hotel, latterly Le Coq du Nord and/or Chandlers, is being torn down for housing.

What was once a distinguished, family-run establishment catering for scores of happy holidaymakers ended its days as a working man's pub with accommodation.

The point, however, was that it served a social need for individuals whose requirements were met by a room and a microwave and who are unlikely to be able to afford any of the 12 modern units being built there instead.

The structural changes in Guernsey's visitor and hospitality economy mean that the former hotel will not be the last to close and be converted to other uses.

But, like with the former St Martin's and the Manor hotels, there is a form of hidden displacement occurring as those who need and can afford a £20-a-night room effectively get moved on by a developer's JCB, frequently with nowhere else to go.

Landlords and businesses clearly have a duty to make the maximum return from their assets and cannot be criticised for doing so.

But property is one of the island's greatest strengths – and weaknesses.

Many have made much money out of it and over the years, thousands of local couples have had cause to be grateful for constantly rising prices, which have materially increased the value of their assets.

Yet for those not on the property ladder, the situation is bleak. Unless qualifying for the increasingly luxurious units paid for by the taxpayer and provided via the Guernsey Housing Association, you really are on your own.

Years of no pay rises, tighter bank lending criteria and a property market that is still rising although little is actually selling means those without a home of their own are the new squeezed middle.

Others profit at their expense and government is not only failing to keep pace with the need for new homes, it is also failing to provide affordable accommodation.

But nothing will change because this is a developing social issue that's not even being discussed.