Plans to turn former post office into grocery store
SANDPIPER could open a new grocery store in the former Smith Street post office.
The building has been empty since Guernsey Post closed the main Town office earlier this year. In the planning application, architect Andrew Male said it was hoped the shop would reduce people travelling.
‘The proposed works to fit-out an empty shop in Town will enable more options for shoppers to carry out their shopping in one visit, without travelling around the island, thus reducing fuel-based carbon emissions,’ he wrote.
‘As the shop will be selling groceries, it also assists and encourages living in the centre of St Peter Port, reducing the need to travel out to find for such products.’
Sandpiper previously ran the Food Hall close to the White Hart in the Pollet. However, that shut when the building was refurbished a few years ago.
While there are medium-sized food shops in the centre of Town – with two Co-ops and an M&S food branch – the large supermarkets are a couple of miles outside the Town centre.
It is not mentioned which food shop the building could become. Sandpiper holds the franchises for Checkers Xpress, Morrisons and Iceland.
The building is listed, but the application states that there are only very limited internal alterations planned, which would enable the ground floor to be fitted out as a shop. The existing blockwork floor – which is not original and is in a poor state of repair – would be removed and replaced with a non-slip vinyl floor.
