PC Channel Islands Premier Construction

El Tico Beach Cantina

El Tico
Written by Roma Publications

El Tico Beach Cantina – Surf’s Up!

El Tico

A must-visit venue for surfers on Jersey, El Tico Beach Cantina has undergone an expansion to its shop and teaching facilities. A popular destination on the island with a history that stretches back to the 1950s, El Tico now boasts a new Surfyard that is already being put to good use ahead of the summer.

The new Surfyard will allow experienced visitors to hire equipment while a team of experienced and qualified instructors will be able to carry out a comprehensive teaching programme to get the next generation of surfers onto the water. The expanded shop will allow El Tico to sell a wider variety of surf stock.

The structure was designed by architect Richard Le Sueur with Bamboo Construction Limited acting as main contractor on the project. Andy Cummins, Managing Director at Bamboo Construction Limited, spoke to Premier Construction Channel Islands about the work:

“The project was a renovation of the existing shop. We then broke through to extend the shop and attached an open roof wet room/surf yard with changing rooms and facilities for children learning to surf. Previously there was just a shop and the surf school was being run out of a hut at the side. The new shop is double the size.

“The design is reasonably straightforward. There’s a lot of steel that has been added to the block work and we’ve used a lot of reclaimed timber within the décor of the shop. It has a nice beach feel but at the same time we’ve not gone overboard. It really works and the architect Richard Le Sueur has done a fantastic job.”

The project began in January 2017 and was completed a few months later at Easter. As such Andy and his team had to deal with gale force winds and torrential rain while working to the tight timescale. It was also important that the new building be extremely durable to cope during the winter months.

For Andy, a lifelong surfer who previously owned a surf school on Jersey, the project was a special one to be involved with. He added:

“El Tico café and surf hire has been around since the 1950s so it was a historic build to be involved with. Feedback so far has been amazing. It was a project that people were able to see in progress and it came together really quickly at the end. The Surf Yard only has one door and no windows so people are a little bit awestruck when they walk in. The same is true for the shop with its high ceilings and it’s really done out well. It’s like a boutique surf shop and is a really nice space.

El Tico

“I’ve got three children myself and in the future I can look back when they’re using the facilities and think I’ve left a little bit of a stamp on surfing in Jersey. El Tico’s has a special place in the history of surfing in Jersey and the owners, Andrew Hosegood and Dan Harris, have done the island proud bringing these new facilities. I am over the moon to have been involved and will be able to look back with pride.”

While its history can be traced back to 1948, El Tico in its current form was relaunched in 2009 after years of planning and rebuild. It has since become a hugely popular destination for locals and visitors to the island. The cantina is a particular draw, combining sumptuous food with stunning views out across the sea.

Bamboo Construction Limited is a Jersey based company operating throughout the island delivering projects to a high quality, on-time and within budget.

About the author

Roma Publications