Jersey Reds going bust 'a big loss' for businesses

Some Jersey taxi drivers are losing "£100 a week" from Jersey Reds' absence, says Mick Tostevin

The collapse of the Jersey Reds rugby team is still being felt on the island a year on, local businesses say.

The side ceased trading in September 2023, five months after winning the Championship but subsequently entering liquidation.

While the loss of the team has left a hole in the island's sporting calendar, the impact has also been felt in several industries across the island.

Bosses in the hotel, hospitality and taxi sectors all said they had suffered losses as a result.

Revenue 'sadly missed'

Mick Tostevin, from the Jersey Taxi Drivers' Association, said the loss of hundreds of away supports visiting the island for matches has resulted in hundreds of pounds of lost revenue.

He said: "The teams visiting the island would often bring 300 or 400 fans with them.

"They not only used hotels, restaurants and pubs, but they also used taxis as well.

"Any loss of revenue is going to have an effect on us and it's sadly missed, particularly as it's in the winter months.

"It is difficult to quantify, but one driver told me he reckoned he was losing about £100 a week from when a visiting team was over."

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Ola Przyjenska, of La Place Hotel, said the island was "missing" the Reds

Ola Przyjenska, the sales and marketing manager at La Place Hotel, said that fans had filled between eight and 12 rooms each time the Reds played at home.

She said: "I had a full season blocked for them.

"I went on social media advertising the extra rooms for sale and we did manage to sell them.

"The island is missing them because loads of people were travelling to watch the rugby.

"We're missing them because they used to go out after the match, so it's a big loss for Jersey."

Gavin Reid, the managing director of pub chain Randalls, said the loss of the team was being felt by the hospitality industry.

He said: "It is difficult to put a figure on the impact of the loss of the Reds' extracurricular hospitality if we are to compare across the last 12 months, as we have been dealing with a cost of living crisis - and subsequently, people's drinking and eating habits have had to be adapted.

"Enough to say, however, the uplift in sales on match days would be a welcome addition to our outlets during these difficult times."

David Kennedy, the chief executive of government-backed organisation Jersey Sport, said that there had been "lessons to be learned" following the club's collapse.

He said: "There's still a lot of disappointment in the sports community about the demise of Jersey Reds and how that came about.

"There's also disappointment in that there's no longer the opportunity to watch professional sport, ultimately putting Jersey on the map.

"It's a bitter pill to swallow, but what's done is done."