New owners announced for much-loved Guernsey beach café

The new owner of a popular Guernsey café has been revealed following a competitive tender process. Pearl Oyster Ltd, which owns both Coco and Lola cafés in St Peter Port, was chosen as the preferred bidder to operate the Fermain Beach Café after the current tenant, Belmiro de Freitas, had his tender rejected by the States, after running the café since 2003. With the current lease due to expire at the end of October, the States Property Unit invited bids from private investors to run the café. A petition to save the café earlier this year collected almost 3,000 signatures before the tender process started in May. Four bids were received as part of the tender and the selection panel unanimously agreed that Pearl Oyster Ltd was their preferred bidder. The company says it plans to introduce online orders at the kiosk for customers as well as a sun lounger area near the café and longer opening hours during the summer. The company also says the site could host private events too.

A spokesperson for Pearl Oyster Ltd said: "We are delighted our submission has been selected for the Fermain Kiosk and are looking forward to the opportunity of taking it on and bringing to the area a new offering that builds not only what we do at Coco and Lola, but also respects the beautiful setting of the kiosk and the bay."Fermain is a picturesque location loved by many islanders and visitors alike, and represents an exciting opportunity for us to deliver a fantastic service to the community."Mark Ogier, Director of Estates for the States Property Unit, said: "The applicant is a well-established and successful operator, with an excellent reputation and significant following at their other outlets, and their plans for the Fermain Kiosk gave a clear vision for continued development, with the customer being the constant focus."While we are looking forward to seeing the new leaseholder’s plan come to fruition, I would also like to acknowledge the time and effort the incumbent tenant has put into the beach café."The result of the tender shows there is room for further development and growth to maximise this unique and sought-after location."

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