Latest news with #KirstenMorel
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Brittany Ferries: 'Morel's comments are ridiculous'
A ferry company has hit back at claims made by Jersey's economic development minister, that problems with the inter-island ferry service are due to Guernsey ending the joint tender process before Jersey had made its decision. A spokesperson for Brittany Ferries, which won the Guernsey contract, said there must be "something in the deputy's water" after the comments from Deputy Kirsten made the comments after DFDS, Jersey's ferry operator had to cancel several inter island sailings because of tide and staffing Ferries described Morel's comments as "ridiculous." Initial plans for a single provider to serve both islands were disrupted last year when Guernsey announced they had chosen Brittany Ferries before Jersey had made it's decision. Jersey later chose DFDS leaving the two islands with separate DFDS was selected as Jersey's ferry operator, Morel said while an inter-island service wasn't a formal part of the tender process it was something the company understood it would have to asked if in hindsight an inter-island service should have been a formal part of the ferry tender process, Morel said: "What happened is that Guernsey ended the joint process and we had to go alone on our own process which meant we couldn't include Guernsey in that. So it's a moot point."Guernsey controls its own port and as I understand it prioritises the use of its port for that operator so it wasn't possible for us without having any of the information they had to include it in the tender process."It's had an effect on the inter-island service." In response to the minister's comments, Brittany Ferries said in a statement: "There must be something in the deputy's water. There can be no other explanation for such a ridiculous response to the withdrawal of DFDS inter-island services."No doubt, Jersey residents and businesses will see through this for what is."Just a reminder: the reason DFDS were disqualified from the first bid process was a clause that allowed them to change schedules on whim, up prices at their convenience and change service levels with impunity.""Et voila, Deputy Morel: all your chickens are coming home to roost."DFDS has been contacted for a comment.
BBC News
18-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
St Helier businesses take part in Battle of Flowers
Businesses in Jersey have been working on displays as part of the upcoming Battle of Flowers Rouse, owner of Harriet and Rose in St Helier, said its display, which is a mix between English garden and tulips from Amsterdam, has had an amazing Government of Jersey encouraged local traders to get involved in the event this year as part of its 2025 Town economic development minister Deputy Kirsten Morel said 16 businesses in St Helier are taking part. He said the shops, cafes and restaurants have decorated their shopfronts in partnership with one of the floats which will feature in the Rouse said: "We wanted to go big and bold and didn't want to restrict the display to the window."The Friends of Galaad wanted to do tulips from Amsterdam and our team is going to help with the painting of the float."She said people have noticed how "lovely and vibrant" the town felt since the displays, which Ms Rouse said she had no intention of taking down, weather permitting. She added: "We have worked something we know we will use again and again and keep the shop and the town looking vibrant."There is real potential for this to roll out and be a seasonal thing not just for Battle of the Flowers and just make the town really inviting."Deputy Morel said there is a "real link between Battle of Flowers and retailers"."At the end of the parade, the main pieces on the floats will be given to the shops who have worked with it," he said."I'm hoping it will bring a new vibe to the Battle of Flowers and allow people to be closer to it and allow the town to be part of the battle." He said he hopes this year's plans would "bring a new vibe" to the event and allow people to feel closer to it. "The fact we are bringing colour to town and making it look even nicer will help people come to town and tourists will be delighted to see the floral displays throughout the town."Deputy Morel said if the event went well this year, he would like to see the initiative continue between local businesses and the event. He said the displays should all aim to be sustainable."If we can play a little part of raising awareness of a clean and healthy environment through this, then that's really good," he added.
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Visit Jersey's performance questioned
A Jersey politician has questioned the performance of Visit Jersey in light of falling visiting numbers and continued government from Visit Jersey released in June showed there were 35,200 visitors in April - a drop of 7,100 on last year, and in March, there were 26,200 – 1,300 fewer than the previous the States Assembly, Deputy Karen Wilson asked the economic development minister why visitor numbers were falling despite top up funding to Visit Jersey in to the BBC after the debate, Wilson said if "current performance levels continue then questions clearly need to be asked". Visit Jersey has been approached for comment. Deputy Kirsten Morel, Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, told the assembly that Visit Jersey would get a £2m investment this year and another £2m next who sits on the Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel, said: "It's a lot of money... I mean £4m over two years which we will be keeping a close eye on. "I don't know if I have full confidence as yet, I'd like to see some more results. I think the quarter two return will be quite interesting to see."We do need to see if that pattern is reversing and if the money is being spent on the right things."One of the things I would be looking for is what are the ways and means Visit Jersey engaging with the industry across the island to try and broaden their scope to try and get off the clickbait type of approach, to try and get some real engagement and participation across the island." But Morel said: "I think it is really important to put it [the money] into one marketing organisation because then you end up with money that is dispersed and becomes ineffective because its too thinly spread.""I think Visit Jersey are doing a really good job marketing the island, so we know we have a lot of people looking at Jersey, the difficult is getting them to do the booking."Morel acknowledged that delays to picking a ferry operator had contributed to declining visitor numbers, but a lack of consumer confidence in the UK was also a said: "We are seeing other UK dependant markets have much lower tourism figures because of that, Ireland has a 14% decline in UK tourism, we have a 7% decrease in tourism in Jersey as well." Morel said another challenge was that Jersey was a high-price destination where the product was not always living up to said: "We need to work with the industry to make sure we have investment in our hotels, our retail, our attractions."That means when people look at Jersey, they can see value in booking here, and that's not always the case at the moment because the price is quite high and the product isn't always where it needs to be."
BBC News
30-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Jersey government to give £160k in funding for Battle of Flowers
Jersey's government will give nearly £160k in funding for this year's Battle of Flowers, despite the event making heavy losses last year. Economic Development Minister, Deputy Kirsten Morel, has asked his chief officer to approve the funding request of £158,750. There were doubts the event would happen this year following last year's overspend of about £150k, but free smaller parades organised by a breakaway committee will be held in St Helier's town centre, instead of a large event on Victoria Morel wrote: "I have considered the balance of risks and it is my judgement that a grant to the event organisers is necessary in order to enable a Battle of Flowers Parade in 2025." Deputy Morel said: "It is the role of Ministers to consider the wider balance of risks and take into consideration the broader economic and social imperatives".He admitted there was "significant overspend" last year and the government "does not have an established relationship" with the new the Minister described the Battle of Flowers, which was first held in 1902, as an "iconic event" and "an important fixture," which "brings Islanders together." Battle is due to be held on the 8 and 9 August, and the parades will be free to watch.
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Jersey ferry firm performance rated positive, minister says
Less than 5% of a ferry firm's sailings in Jersey have been cancelled in the first three months of operation, according to new figures. The statistics released by Minister for Sustainable Economic Development Deputy Kirsten Morel related to high-speed, passenger and car sailings run by DFDS, which launched ferry routes in Jersey in figures also showed 13% of the firm's freight sailings had been said overall "performance is positive" for DFDS, with 10 sailings cancelled out of 456 since the service began. Concerns had been raised over the cancellation of some sailings by DFDS including changes to the service to accommodate football fans travelling to the Muratti football match in Guernsey in about the cancellation of two Portsmouth sailings for the match have been lodged in the States by Scrutiny Liaison Committee member Deputy Montfort asked how the decision was made, what compensation was given to any passengers and if reputational damage had been has until 23 June to respond.
