Guernsey Press

National Trust dusts down its attractions

FERMAIN TOWER is fully booked until September and the dust sheets are coming off at the Folk and Costume Museum, as the National Trust gets back up and running again.

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Folk Museum manager Merrie Jee. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 28358515)

Guernsey Folk and Costume Museum, Les Caches Farm and Fermain Tower are all set to reopen during the course of next week.

President Tony Spruce said it was relief to get things open.

‘We were disappointed about the pandemic as it was our 60th anniversary,’ he said.

‘We have lost four months. Reopening now will make a big difference. We have a chance now of breaking even for the season by the end of the year.’

Fermain Tower – a loophole tower that has been converted into a two-person self-catering unit – has been very popular, as locals book staycations. Booking for the tower started earlier this week and the site is already fully booked until September.

Mr Spruce said they were complying with Public Health rules for self-catering businesses, which will hopefully ease in phase five.

Work is also under way at the Guernsey Folk and Costume Museum, which will open on Monday.

This is the first summer season as museum manager for Merrie Jee.

She said they had been busy, but they had to keep the dust sheets on until just before they opened, as they did not want things to get dusty again. She added that they were fortunate to have such a big site, so having a one-way system in place was not a problem.

This season there is a new costume display of dresses from the 1930s and 1940s.

Mr Spruce said he hoped islanders would visit the site.

‘There is a beautiful costume display,’ he said.

Les Caches Farm in the Forest will reopen next Wednesday. Buildings and grounds are open 10.30am to 12.30pm Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. While the buildings are closed on the other days, the grounds are still open for picnics.

The Victorian Shop and Parlour in Cornet Street is closed for renovation until 2021.

The Viaer Marchi is normally held at the start of July. However, it takes months of planning, and organisers made a decision earlier this year to cancel it.