Silversmith shutting up shop after failing to find new premises
Silversmith Martyn Guille will be shutting up shop for good at the end of this year after his efforts to find new premises were unsuccessful.
Mr Guille previously ran Guernsey Clockmakers in the grounds of Blanchelande College for 15 years, but moved out a year ago after his rent was substantially increased.
He has been a silversmith for 45 years and self-employed for 39, with his business originally operating at Oatlands and then the former Strawberry Farm before buying the clockmaker business at Les Vauxbelets.
‘I thought it would be great since I would be on my own with nobody else to bother me,’ he said.
‘It turned out to be my worst nightmare.’
Part of his premises included toilets which were often used by visitors to the Little Chapel.
When his rent increased and he decided to quit, he said he was prepared to negotiate with Blanchelande College and the chapel charity to leave them there, but was unable to.
‘I think they thought I’d just walk away and they would gain the benefit, but I ripped them out, at my expense.’
All the toilets have been donated to local charities.
Mr Guille said he understood that the chapel's visitor numbers had fallen with no facilities and no souvenir shop.
Since leaving the Blanchelande site he has operated the business from Timmers Complex in the Forest pending finding a new site.
He said that he had found a potential new location, but was unable to come to a satisfactory agreement over the lease, he said.
‘Another reason why I want to give up is with GST coming up and the pension scheme for employers. The States are making it so much harder for businesses to carry on.’
Mr Guille intends to carry on his engraving services.
