Airport restaurant to close this month

Monday 6th July 2009, 2:59PM BST.

JERSEY Airport’s Aviator restaurant is to close at the end of this month.

The once-popular restaurant, which has views of the runway, has suffered a sharp decline in customers over recent years.

Its operators, Alpha Group (Jersey) Ltd, said that it will close the business on 31 July to concentrate on its catering business within the air-side departures lounge. Its six staff have been offered other jobs within the company.

Andrew Guy, director of Alpha Group (Jersey) Ltd, said: ‘The Aviator restaurant has operated in the 1937 terminal building for many years and in its heyday proved to be a popular place to eat for both locals and travellers.

‘However, as customer taste has changed, the restaurant has seen a decline in customers over the last few years and with its original fixtures and fittings it is no longer a commercially viable business.

‘It is regrettable, but the company is no longer able to sustain losses and has taken the decision to close the restaurant earlier than expected. With the eventual redevelopment of the 1937 building due to start towards the end of 2010, it was due to close during this period anyway.’

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1
Phil

July 6, 2009 at 4:57 pm

Maybe if they had sone more to advertise its position, or made the stpes up to the resturant more attractive, or provided more than just time-aged warped postors on the liftshaft walls – customers might have actually taken the time to go UP into the resturant!

It was out of the way, up a dark stairwell, or in the lift –

Out of sight out of mind.

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2
R B Bougourd

July 6, 2009 at 5:16 pm

It has probably got less to do with customer taste changing than it has to do with the fact that going to the airport for an outing involves an obstacle course that few would consider worth the hassle.

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3
Scott

July 7, 2009 at 1:31 pm

There is a restaurant upstairs??

I am a born a breed Jersey man who has used the airport many many times in my 32 years and I didn’t even know it was there!!

I agree with Phil it needed to be advertised a bit better.

That being said I assume in 2010 it would not have been redeveloped and closed anyhow!

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4
Nick

July 15, 2009 at 5:52 pm

How sad!Jersey States and various overpaid and out of control airport managers are to blame not these last operators of a business that should have been thriving but which as far as infrastructure and maintenance spending is concerned has been let down by a series of developer led decisions in the States which as far as I’m aware will result in the total demolition of what should be a protected building!
Done up, with it’s structure restored to 1950′s proportions but with 1930′s style interior, and with the observation decks and original control tower also restored as an observation deck, this restaurant would thrive!Oh and give it some allocated free parking.
These people should be congratulated for trying to conduct business in a building where there has been a deliberate lack of upkeep and maintenance finance for the structure because of vested interest’s wanting it’s demolishion.
If their were any justice they should be able to sue for any loss they have incurred.

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