This is Jersey - 1979 - Part 7

From 1979 comes this holiday guide - "This is Jersey". This is a flat brochure which is larger that the later glossy designs, and it doesn't have nearly as many pages - 16 double sided in all, including front and back covers.

It does provide a very interesting snapshot of the tourism scene in 1979, just as it was more or less at its peak, just before Bergerac launched, and before the package tour market and cheap holiday destinations abroad made Jersey's prices suddenly more expensive and the bottom fell out of the market.

Tourism is today rebuilding a new approach geared to the lifestyle of the modern tourist. It still has plenty to offer, but the old style of tourism probably won't sell today. But here's a chance to capture that flavour.



The Royal Yacht has undergone a massive "facelift" since 1979. The London Grill still exists but it is now just "The Grill" - apparently the extra kudos of appending "London" no longer has the same appeal.

A TripAdvisor reviewer notes:

"My mother many many years ago worked in the London Grill and walking in brought back so many fond memories. As always, immaculately clean and just how I remembered it from way back. Food was great and the overall ambience was brilliant.... Thank you Royal Yacht for keeping this little piece of history. Mr Taylor, the founder would be proud to see it still standing, never mind the huge transformation from what it was once but now is today! "



This page is a good one for advertising pubs and eateries that are still with us! While La Marquanderie has morphed into "The Tree House", all of those listed above still exist.

"Jersey’s premier family pub" as today's adverts say. The Portelet Inn dates back to the 17th Century. However, while the original building indeed dates back to 1606 but the first mention of an inn or hostelry is 1950.

The "Singalong Nightly" has gone, however. 

I managed to dig up this TripAdvisor memory:

"We have visited this Inn many times over the years starting in 1976 when the floral bar at the back had a nightly sing song to organ and drums and the coach parties used to visit on their way around the island!"

Bonne Nuit Hotel, which was officially known for a short time as Bonne Nuit Chalet Hotel, continued to be known by this name by islanders long after the name reverted in 1958. It was not only a popular hotel for visitors to the island, but its restaurant was a favourite venue for Sunday lunches and special occasion meals for non-residents.

A prominent feature was the large lobster tank near the entrance to the restaurant, from which diners could select lobsters and crabs to become part of their meal. This tank was fed with water pumped from the sea.

Sadly the hotel is no longer, having gone the way of many similar establishments in Jersey and been replaced by a block of luxury apartments. Can anyone supply the date it closed?

Le Hocq Inn is the most southerly pub in the British Isles, and it is still open. The area from which it derives it's name - Hocq, or Hoc as it is spelt in early documents - means a cape, headland or spur of rock. It was originally called Arthur's New Pontac Hotel. And it is still around today!