Shop! Mary Portas at Creaseys Guernsey

By Mary Portas 2:55PM GMT 24 Jan 2011




Every so often my editor gets in a grump over the number of London shops I review. 'Our readership is national,’ he protests. He is of course correct, and it’s perhaps unfair on shops in the capital, as they collectively receive the lion’s share of my 'constructive feedback’. My defence is that, as a rule, if the storefit, stock and service is rubbish in one place, the chances are that it’ll be the same elsewhere, and as most of our high streets are dismally identical, I’ve never felt too bad about limiting the geographical spread. That is until we came up with the idea of going to the Channel Islands. The chance of a day trip to somewhere hitherto unknown to me was irresistible, even in freezing December. I took the high-speed ferry from Weymouth. Condor Ferries operates a daily service to and from Guernsey that takes about two and a half hours, costs only £50, and gives you a good four hours to explore. It was a brilliant winter’s day, and although my fellow passengers were a bit of a rum lot (I swear half of them were drunk), I enjoyed a bracing and extraordinarily relaxing morning on the glistening waters of the English Channel. Pulling into St Peter Port in the sunshine is a tonic that I promise will banish the deep winter blues in an instant. The people I met on the island raved about Guernsey’s beaches, its full-fat 'red-top’ milk and the wonderfully relaxed pace of life. What they’re less proud of are the island’s shopping opportunities (the more discerning shoppers have either to shop online or head to Jersey or England). Tellingly, not one person I spoke to mentioned Creaseys, Guernsey’s only department store, which can trace its history to when Benjamin Creasey, the great-grandfather of the current directors, established a drapery business here in 1899. Not a single person talked about a shop that was damaged by bombs during the Second World War, survived German occupation and has stayed in the same familys hands ever since. In fact, when I asked where I could buy some of the local dairy products of which they were so proud, or a loaf of the celebrated Guernsey Gâche, I was instead directed to a local Spar.

The windows Creaseys is actually five adjoining shops rolled into one (presumably, as the business grew, further premises were acquired). But the whole effect is confusing, and the potential of a 'big welcome’ at what should be the island’s most important store is completely missed.

Shopability Inside, it was everything I expected: a fairly ordinary and unfashionable provincial department store, every inch of it covered in merchandise, a rabbit warren of interconnecting concessions and corridors ably staffed by middle-aged women. It’s also a place where fashion labels go to die, with rack upon rack of brands – Minuet, Gardeur, Kaliko, Miss Elaine, Masai Clothing Company – that no one would look at twice if they had a choice. There are some more modern brands at the front of the store, but the sheer volume of old labels makes it hard to tell the wood from the trees. The really sad thing here is that the shop has enormous potential. There are glorious views over the entire harbour through panoramic vitrines – or there would be if they weren’t blocked by piles of handbags. There’s yards of prime high-street frontage. And there’s a café on the roof, which got me thinking about the time I opened a restaurant and bar on the 5th floor of Harvey Nichols all those years ago…

Verdict And then it all slotted into place. My new life plan. I move the family to Guernsey and buddy up with its Lieutenant Governor and the MD of Condor Ferries. We shout from the rooftops about the stunning beauty of the Channel Islands. I persuade Creaseys to join me in opening a local-produce boutique, we clear the windows and we chuck out all the dodgy old fashion (but cleverly keep all the store staff who suddenly have a new lease of life). Creaseys becomes the new Harrods. I retire with a stack of cash but carry on writing my Shop! column here in Guernsey. Right! Where are we going next? (from telegraph)

So What do you think?

i dont know how she could have been sent to a local spar as we dont have one...creasys havent got the franchise yet lol.....i agree about the warren of franchises.....we need a BHS or something similar....until we get something other than creaseys i will shop online x

What a strange woman. She moans about everywhere being the same, then slags off Creaseys for not being the same.

not what she was saying kingcole..think she has said it haspotential but "inside, it was everything I expected: a fairly ordinary and unfashionable provincial department store, every inch of it covered in merchandise" which by the way is perfectly true as well as being overpriced and charging vat on everything

it was everything I expected: a fairly ordinary and unfashionable provincial department store, every inch of it covered in merchandise"

Which is exactly why I like the place. To heck with fashion, viva la difference !

Just wish they would update the cafe the food is crap.

As a shop a holic as you all know creaseys is not a store at all I enjoy going into. As I have said in the past town is dying slowly. When woolworths closed I was hoping we would get something that would be worthy of a mooch a new department store - Debenhams for example which I love. What is it going to be - creaseys. I won't be wasting my time in going in there. I predict town will be more of a ghost town before long as shops pull out due to lack of trade or high rents. I agree with thistle, I internet shop alot of the time now and will stick to spending my money in Jersey's shops like BHS which I love rather than spending it on local water.

As there are so many big banks in the town it has now lost its community feel
so very sad to see the
as many like town traders and TCP struggle to bring these shops together and support each other
About time they did something for the community.you only have to lok at St Martins shopping area i know it is smaller but all know each other and support each other and their parish .
Town need the parish feel good factor again.

St Peter Port lost It's heart when they ruined the Markets!!!!! so doubt very much whether it will respond to life support - too late, people have voted with their feet and their purses!

That is very true !

The markets were the end of town as we saw it ,but how many can say they went into the markets and brought all their veggies,fish,fruit ,meats ,flowers from there?
it was lack of buying power that saw the end of is as we know it .

That is why Guernsey is attractive to me, because it is different from the boring sameness of everywhere in the UK. But you are all wishing it to become just another European type shopping experience. You have already lost the Markets and half the old Pollet, and the rest is disappearing too. Mind you, the Bridge is still fairly individual and interesting for the moment.

just because we live on an island doesnt mean we cant have decent shops..maybe you should try living here and have to buy clothes,food etc from the shops that we have here..we have no choice in stores we can go to..people will say the co-op ,checkers,iceland and m&s ..you tell me where the decent choice is x

The quality of food in your shops is perfectly fine, some of it is better than here. For me clothes are clothes, if they are neat and keep me warm that's all I need. Fashion is for vain people with money to waste. In fact my wife has a lovely sueade jacket she bought many years ago in Creaseys which she still wears when she wants to look posh. Seems to me you and I ought to swap places. When I win the lottery, I'll be down there like shot, posh shops or no posh shops.

As someone who have been here all my life I don't care about the big mainland shops.
It is a case of what you have never had you don't miss
If i did want to go to one I would go on the boat or plane.
but that is me as I don't like shopping and I find the more you have to choose from the longer it take to decide .
As for fashion.I have not been in that for years ,get most of my clothes from the charity shops anyway
only have new if i cant find it in these shops .
then i do it from my catalogue.
If these big shops are like monsoon and new look all the stuff is the same and living in a small island the chances of you finding some outfit that no-one else has is difficult .
We are a small Island and i dont think we have enough to support these big companies as so many have come and gone in the past
And the ones we have now do not support the local community as i have been into every shop and ask if they will support local event only to be met with a no as they have to follow English rules ,even their window have to be dressed like an English shop
so it would be another faceless shop,making money that goes out of the island yet again .

we are not looking for posh shops kingcole just a better choice of shops.i have never said the food quality wasnt good only that the choice of supermarkets is limited.