Parish of St Helier Issues Apology for ‘Disrespect’ Shown to Cenotaph

The Parish of St Helier’s chief executive has issued an apology after preparations for the town’s Christmas Lights switch-on drew criticism for being too close to the Cenotaph.

Stalls for a planned “Christmas Village” in Parade Gardens had been positioned near the war memorial without any protective barriers in place. The arrangement prompted complaints from members of the public, as well as from the Royal British Legion, who described the setup as “disrespectful.”

Parish CEO Andrew Sugden acknowledged the concerns and apologised, saying:

“St Helier has a long tradition of honouring Remembrance Sunday, Anzac Day, D-Day veterans and Liberation Day. There was absolutely no intention to show any disrespect to the Cenotaph while preparing for the Christmas Lights Switch-On.

“We have since consulted the Royal British Legion and have moved the stall tents further from the memorial, along with making a number of additional adjustments, which now address their concerns.

“Speaking personally, as a former serviceman, I want to offer my sincere apologies for any upset caused. It was never intentional. We will learn from this, and we will make sure next year’s arrangements are improved.”

The incident occurred shortly after the Cenotaph hosted Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day services and remains surrounded by poppy wreaths laid in honour of fallen service personnel.

Barriers have now been installed and the stalls repositioned accordingly.