Hotel to close for season

ST PIERRE PARK HOTEL could be closed for most of next year for the casino redevelopment. Philip Cropley, the chief executive of the Bucktrout Group, said the planning process was taking longer than expected.

'We have expended a lot of time and money getting us to the stage of sending out first-stage tenders, but we can't do that until we have finalised our gaming licence and planning applications have been approved,' he said.

In October, the States voted 25-19 in favour of granting a 10-year casino licence to the hotel.

The £25m. redevelopment will include extensive upgrading of its facilities and extra rooms as well as a casino with gaming tables and gambling machines.

It had been hoped that work could start in October, but the hotel could now be shut throughout next summer.

'In an ideal situation it would have been closed at the beginning of October and opened the following Easter,' said Mr Cropley.

'This will certainly be a nine-month project, possibly 12, and there's an argument that due to its size, whenever you close will take in the summer.'

The size of the project represented a huge logistical exercise, he said, and feedback had indicated it would not be possible to complete the work during the winter months.

It had also been recognised that it would not be possible to keep the hotel open in parts while work was being carried out.

'Because of the delays, the current situation is that the hotel will be closing in February,' said Mr Cropley.

Various planning applications had been submitted.

Some had been approved while others were still under consideration.

A meeting with the Home Department had been arranged for today as the gaming licence had still to be finalised, although the process was under way.

The political changes from the review of the machinery of government had also had an influence on the decision making process, said Mr Cropley.