In recent years the spending on the island’s digital hub ballooned way beyond its annual budget.
After a few years of spending less than budgeted in 2023 and 2024 the venue overspent by a total of £180,000, though income was also ahead of projections over that time by £160,000.
However, both spending and income dropped off markedly in 2025, both down by £200,000 against budget. Income crashed from £220,000 a year to just £81,000. The figure budgeted for was £287,000.
In the aftermath of the closure announcement it was revealed that each rented desk at the premises in Market Square, which went at prices between £800 and £3,000 a year, was costing the taxpayer £10,000 a year.
The Committee for Economic Development has responded to a freedom of information request which revealed that the innovation hub received a net £3.9m. of taxpayer support over its lifespan.
Annual funding rose from £205,000 in its lowest year of funding support in 2018, to £503,000 budgeted for this year. It was higher in 2023 and 2024.
Funding for the Digital Greenhouse from 2015 until 2020 was provided by the Future Guernsey Fund.
From 2021 onwards, public funding came from the committee’s annual budget allocation.
Throughout its existence funding has been supplemented by income generated by the hub through membership, events and sponsorships.
A programme impact survey conducted in May 2026 found that the Digital Greenhouse generated £1.09m. in annual revenue, supported 46 jobs and contributed about £294,000 in income tax and social security contributions.
The FOI revealed that the survey was based on just 31 people and only 22 businesses were included in the estimated fiscal contribution.
The survey had 73% of those contacted attributing their business success from their time at the centre.
But the figures came from a programme impact survey carried out in May this year that drew only 31 responses.
It was sent to Greenhouse members and alumni from the past five years.
The revenue, jobs and tax estimates were modelled from just 22 of those businesses – revenue calculated from the mid-points of self-reported bands, and the tax figure built on an assumed 30% profit margin and an average £35,000 salary.
The committee described the numbers as ‘modelled estimates rather than measured outcomes’ and said they had been used as ‘indicative, survey-derived estimates from a limited sample rather than validated findings’.
It has not released the full report, saying that its release risked the data ‘being read as more authoritative than the sample size and draft status support’.
The Innovate Guernsey Board, which has ultimately recommended the closure of the Greenhouse, found it performed strongly as ‘a convenor, enabler and trusted hub’ with consistently high user satisfaction, but said that ‘outcome data is weak’ and ‘economic impact claims remain inferred, not evidenced’.
KPIs such as new business formation, job creation and productivity were ‘not tracked systematically’.
The centre recorded high engagement throughout, including 9,973 participants across its activities in 2023-24, 98 events with 63 partners, and more than 90% user satisfaction.
You need to be logged in to comment.