People who frequently use Heywoods Beach in St Peter, including some retired and elderly, are not pleased with the access Sandals Resorts International has put in place now that construction has commenced on the Beaches Barbados hotel.
While the regular access point remains unchanged, some are lamenting the loss of car park space and a longer walk to the beach, especially for those who uses canes and walkers.
However, Sandals’ public relations manager David Hinds said their first priority was the safety of the public.
“We are taking all steps, in line with all jurisdictional guidelines from the relevant authorities, to ensure public safety,” he said.
Long-time water sports operator and former St James North political candidate Austin Husbands said they have been using the beach since the 1980s, and lamented that there was no consultation prior to work commencing.
“The beach is normally used on a daily basis by people from not only within the area, but it’s also used by people who come to the old Heywoods Beach to enjoy the ambience of the place. When they place these poles here, it means that parking is restricted, severely restricted. As you can see, you can no longer drive in and turn because it will be taken away from the turning bay.
“As you look around,” he added, pointing to some of those willing to speak out, “you’ll see that most of them are in my age group or just beneath my age group. So it’s not a case of parking on the other side and just being able to walk to the beach. All of that will be restricted.
“Several people that come here use walkers and canes, and to put a long story short, it’s going to be a hindrance, to put it mildly. So that is my big concern.”
Husbands said the workers told them they were acting “under orders” but could give no more details. He was aware that work was scheduled to start on the hotel.
“But why do you have to take up this additional 20 feet of space? What are you going to do with it? You’ve got acres of land there to be developed. This is the old Heywoods Road on my left; even that is being taken up. That was public access that was used and has been used for centuries. Why have we taken up that?” he asked.
“Then to the south, there’s also another public car park that has been boarded, already boarded up. So people are no longer able to use that, which is another level of inconvenience to sea bathers and beach-goers.”
Francilla Haynes, who was at the beach with daughter Petra, said she never encountered so much difficulty in parking after using that beach for 35 years.
“It’s very, very difficult for us old people. I think it’s not fair for us local people to be prevented from enjoying what we worked so hard for, what our parents and grandparents worked so hard for,” she said.
Retired educator Angela Edwards was among those surprised by the construction. She came out to find the poles going up and her car barred. She had to wait for someone to remove the red tape.
Adlee Foster, who is 76, said she found moving around the area difficult.
“We have a 90-plus-year-old woman that is part of the group and this was convenient, comfortable for her to just come in. In order to be able to get here, she has to either leave her car home and ask somebody to drop her down here, or now try to manoeuvre that narrow thing that they have for a car park. You know, I mean, you can’t really move around in there.”
In a statement, Hinds said: “The beach access remains available, and in fact we are putting up signs to remind and help guide persons where the beach access is and remains.
“While a section of the parking lot does in fact fall inside the protective hoarding, we have allocated 16 temporary parking spaces, which is actually more than was there before, not far from where the original parking spots were. We will again be putting up signs to guide members of the public,” he added.
Another problem the beachgoers and residents have identified is flooding.
“That road has never been flooded and all of a sudden since the construction . . . the road is impassable,” Edwards said.
In response, Hinds said: “From our understanding in speaking to residents and businesses in the area, the issue of flooding is an ongoing situation. As far as we are aware, the Ministry of Transport and Works’ Drainage Division is cognisant of the issue and we will continue to liaise with them.”
In April 2025, Hinds said Sandals would be constructing the $450 million Beaches property on the site of the old Almond Beach Village. It will have 600 rooms ranging from king suites and two queen designs, and four-bedroom suites complete with a private ocean-front balcony.
It will feature a dedicated “Main Street” – a winding resort centre with dining and shopping opportunities – as well as family zones from outdoor performance stages to a modern sports bar and arcade.