Castle is new home for youth hostel
Wednesday 19th November 2008, 2:57PM GMT.
THE Youth Hostels Association announced this morning that they would not be going back to Haut de la Garenne – because the police have left it in such a poor state of repair.
However, the JEP can reveal that the association are looking at setting up a hostel at Elizabeth Castle instead. Caroline White, the YHA’s chief executive, said that they were very keen to stay in the Island, but needed to find a new site for the short term at least.
She added that a return to Haute de la Garenne was ‘unlikely’. ‘The building is in a poor state of repair and so it would not be possible to restart operations without extensive remedial works taking place,’ Mrs White said. ‘We are also well aware of the nature of the offences alleged to have taken place and feel re-opening while any legal proceedings are still active or pending would be inappropriate and insensitive.’
Economic Development Minister Philip Ozouf said that he was very keen to keep the YHA in Jersey. He revealed that the YHA had been in the Island recently and were very interested in working with Tourism and Jersey Heritage to open a hostel in Elizabeth Castle. He said that Jersey Heritage were very interested in leasing part of the castle to the YHA. Other sites looked at include the Water’s Edge hotel, in Bouley Bay, and the Runnymede hotel, in Havre des Pas.
Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.
2012 CYCLE SLAM
Dallaglio Flintoff 2012 Cycle Slam
Read Graeme Le Saux's daily blogs
Greece-London Marathon on a Bike
The Dallaglio Flintoff 2012 Cycle Slam
Travel
To, from and around the Island
Airport Arrivals/Departures
Harbours Arrivals/Departures
Bus Information/Timetables
This is Jersey
Jersey Evening Post
Useful links
Very concerned to hear that Elizabeth Castle may be the new home to Youth Hostels Association, I really don’t think that this fine heritage site should be used for such an operation.
Hopefully the JHA will find alternative accommodation in the Island.
Report abuse
Goods news at last out of the Haut de la Garenne. To have a YHA hostel within the confines of a fortress will add spice to the holidays of the young and not so young. Of course strolling back to ‘base’ after closing time will bring new challenges, but we can all live with that.
Report abuse
Any castle makes a great hostel. If Janet is so concerned she should visit other castles that are used as “youth” hostels. Since there are no longer age restrictions at hostels she could also enjoy staying at these wonderful places and meet interesting young and old travelers from around the world.
My favorite hostel is Carbisdale Castle, an hour north by rail from Inverness, at Culrain.
The newest castle in Scotland, built 1915, the “Castle of Revenge”. The ceilings of the rooms are spectacular.
Loch Lomond Castle, located an hour from Glasgow is also in a scenic location. The oldest hostel is Germany’s Altena Castle, in a scenic valley not far from the industrial Ruhr area. The hostel portion is small, the main building features some museums including a hostel museum, featuring triple decker bunks with straw mattresses. Richard Schirrman, the school teacher who founded the internatinal hostel movement is buried in the town cemetary. He was kicked out by the Nazis during WWII, but helped resurrect the hostel movement after the war.
We don’t have many castles here in the States, but our HI Santa Cruz Hostel is located in some refurbished local historic buildings and gardens just a couple of blocks from beaches, a wharf and amusement park. North of us are two lighthouses where the former lighthouse keepers dwellings are now hostels.
Rest assured old buildings and castles make fine hostels. Where else can budget travelers and school groups visit and stay in interesting historic structures and personally discover history at the same time
PGP of Santa Cruz, Calif.
Report abuse