Alderney looks forward to Guernsey visitors

After only ever seeing one case of Covid since the beginning of the pandemic, Alderney has moved to the final stage of unlocking before Guernsey.

It saw masks done away with, restaurants and shops welcome customers back with no restrictions and islanders able to embrace one another after 44 days of lockdown.

The cinema was also able to reopen, having been shut since Christmas.

Owner of Jack’s Brasserie Richard Proctor was desperate to be able to welcome back Guernsey friends into Alderney.

‘The locals are really good, but there’s a lot of places that have opened up and not enough locals to go around and fill them up,’ he said.

‘Lockdown was awful for business, so it’s really important we get customers back in.’

He praised Bailiwick officials for their handling of the pandemic.

Mr Proctor hoped Guernsey would be able to join Alderney in Stage 3 as soon as possible.

However, the scene in Town was not as bustling as it had been in the past.

Photographer David Nash said around half of the shops were waiting a couple more days to open up.

‘The charity shop, which is really the hub of activity, hasn’t opened yet, and neither has the book shop.

‘Almost all of the supermarkets close on Tuesdays as well because that’s when the boat comes in so the shops use that time to stock the shelves.’

He agreed with Mr Proctor that more energy would be breathed back into the island and the hustle and bustle would return once Guernsey residents could travel to the northern isle free of quarantine restrictions.

The first real gathering of people in Alderney will take place tomorrow for the funeral of chorister Shaun Bagot.

Mr Nash is the official photographer for the service and anticipated that there would be a large crowd of people paying their respects and celebrating the life of Mr Bagot.

‘He was well known for his totally devoted spaniel that followed him everywhere he went,’ he said.

‘He became an honorary member of the choir, too.’