Exodus of events from Beau Sejour has added to its woes

There was a time when the centre had a men’s five-a-side football league containing seven divisions played on a Tuesday evening. A men’s Wednesday evening over-35s league and a league containing two divisions of ladies’ football.

There was also at one time an eight-a-side two-division league played on Sunday evenings. All this was destroyed by the States’ rising costs of the courts and the GFA’s policies.

Eight-a-side football was revived for a few years and played on a Saturday evening.

This was offered at half price because the centre had very little activity sports-wise on that evening, and the good work of Colin (Prev) Le Prevost in negotiating a fixed and special price. Sadly though even that got over-expensive and teams just dropped out.

There were also two 11-a-side football pitches in the grounds of Beau Sejour that were used on Saturdays and Sundays with games taking place in the mornings and afternoons on both days. This is just one sport (football) that has been ruined.

Let's not forget that Beau Sejour once had a dungeon for the youngsters to hang out in, a games area where there were pinball tables and lots of other games to play.

There was a roller hockey league and I can even remember an indoor cricket league played there, with the nets closing on the courts to protect the audience on the balcony.

Let's also take into account the place had what most people recognised as a proper bar upstairs looking out over the island, and there was also a cafe area overlooking the park.

There was roller skating in what is now known as the Dave Ferguson Hall. The grounds behind the centre at the bottom of the children’s play area where the States has built a massive electric substation was rented out and used by many large businesses, where they put up marquees and BBQs were rented during the summer months.

In fact the whole centre was hired several times a year for a whole evening so businesses could compete against each other in all the different sports on offer.

Such a shame to look back on what we have lost at Beau Sejour.

Rod Hamon

5 Rosemount

Mont Arrive

St Peter Port