THERE IS A new business in Archer’s Bay, St Lucy which offers an uninhibited, picturesque view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Sitting on a portion of the two acres of land once covered in bush and a copse of trees is Catch 22 Restaurant, one of the amenities offered at the Sunset Point locale which is still under development.
For general manager Terrence Haynes, who spoke to BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY about the more than $1 million, mostly self-funded, community-based tourism project, it is about being organic, sustainable and offering a one-of-a-kind experience he hopes to have fully operational by December 15.
“The idea is to drive more traffic to this area. Archer’s Bay is on the map but there’s not much to see there. There are steps down the beach, there’s a view but there’s no real infrastructure in this area. Not only that, when I say I want to keep it organic, in essence, I mean supplies such as getting eggs from the lady that’s just right there, chickens from the fella that’s right there, a lot of the catch from Crab Hill area,” Haynes said.
“We want to keep it as local as possible. I dive, I’m a bit of a conservationist and I’m into renewable energy, so a part of my psyche and philosophy is always whatever you do, you have to fit in the environment and look after it.”
Sitting in the wide verandah of the restaurant, the nice breeze cooling the beautiful but scorching day, he said that his father, now retired, purchased the land seven or eight years ago and his vision at that time was to have an events venue particularly for church retreats and weddings.
“As time evolved, it kind of morphed into having an onsite restaurant and accommodations. It is still evolving into where we want to sit in terms of a target market, in terms of events, weddings, birthday parties, retirement functions. Things that are conducive to a relaxing and peaceful environment. It’s for people who enjoy fishing off the rocks, or going hiking, those who enjoy nature or outdoors. Or working professionals who are looking for somewhere to come and relax,” he said.
Haynes, a former national swimmer, said that initially he did not see what his father wanted to do with the land and the project which is a work in progress. It houses apartments, there is a small orchard with local fruits and grapes from the [United States], a gazebo for live bands, an upper deck which can serve as a space for events, the lawn that can be transformed to sit the occasion and it will have a pool and a lobster pond. Around the grounds growing next to flowers are vegetables which are used in the preparation of food.
He shared that it was during summer last year that he really got involved and most days would find him there or conducting business related to it.
The businessman emphasised that regardless of the direction they go it must remain organic as it is important to its development.
“We really want to be self-sufficient and will install solar when we get the money . . . . The name Catch 22 comes from being in an impossible situation. Being here for the last couple of years and trying to do business is very, very challenging. People tend to spin you around.
“The overlap in the business area is that it’s still along the lines of entrepreneurship. Much of the same principles of running our own business apply whether it is the restaurant or solar company, or anything you do. It’s about managing your costs, the people that work for you,” he said.
“The more intricate overlap is that I wanted to use the philosophy of sustainability and environmentalism and kind of influence how the restaurant was run and operated. By that I mean we try to grow a lot of our own produce, we’re now starting . . . and we’ll start to grow a lot of our herbs.
“In terms of conservation, I do a lot of diving recreationally and I see what the lion fish are doing to the reefs. It’s one of the biggest threats after global warming that affect the coral reef. It’s probably the number two threat to the health and survival of the coral reef and the ecosystem which coral reefs support. They have no natural predators. They’re an invasive species, they breed like rabbits and they eat everything. Conservation will focus heavily on the lion fish and trying to eradicate them,” Haynes added.
“. . . There is also our social responsibility and trying to employ where possible, people from the neighbouring community to have them be a part of the business instead of coming in . . . there is resentment and tension . . . . I feel very strongly and passionate about it because at the end of the day, I think the future for Barbados is sustainable micro businesses that try to incorporate areas around it,” he said. (GBM)