Sandy Ground, the small scenic village in Anguilla and location of the island’s main cargo port of entry, is steadily developing despite its limited land space and sparse population.
The latest developments there are the joint establishment of a new branch of Marie Albert Furniture & Home Decor from its longstanding hideaway location at South Hill; and the relocation of Lynne Bernbaum’s Art Gallery and studio owned, run by and carrying the name of its talented American Artist.
The twinned but very distinct businesses, housed on the ground floor of a three story roadside building, owned by Mrs. Rhona Richardson-Roydon, had their joint grand openings on Thursday, March 1. The event was attended by a large number of invited persons including Government officials, residents and visitors.
Mrs. Richardson-Roydon’s section of the building features various patterns of furniture from the bulk store and other supplies, and presents an opportunity for greater shopping access to the public. The Art Gallery, on the other hand, is fully stocked by wall and other displayed paintings and drawings some of which are inspired by Anguillian nature and culture.
Mrs. Richardson-Roydon, spoke to The Anguillian about her business: “We have the main branch in South Hill but have just opened a branch here in Sandy Ground. There is obviously more traffic here,” she said. “At South Hill, we are off the beaten track a lot, and you have to know where that place is to go there. Since we have the space down here, we partly moved here. My son-in-law has a furniture factory in Indonesia so we are getting a lot teak wood items. Sandy Ground is an up and coming village. My father and grandparents were from Sandy Ground. I am actually from South Hill.”
She further stated: “The second floor will be a 3-bedroom apartment suite; and the third floor is a 2-bedroom penthouse suite. At first I thought it would be for short term visitor accommodation but it is not yet completed and people are interested particularly in the second floor for long-term stays. There is a motif to the building. The villa is called ‘pastiche’. It is a term for something old but was made new again. The idea started with my grandparents’ house across the street. I wanted to replicate that house with the gingerbread and the shutters, and have a nautical theme to the building. My grandfather [Mister] was a seaman. We will be getting up the gingerbread and the old-fashion shutters up.
“My father and my grandparents were from Sandy Ground. I am actually from South Hill, and Sandy Ground is now an up and coming village.”
About her art gallery, Ms. Lynne Bernbaum said: “This s my new art gallery and studio. I have been here since the beginning of February. It is my fourth location. Rhona Richardson’s building was available for this space and I feel lucky because it is a beautiful building. Its new and fresh and I am going to be here to work and show my art.”
She added: “The exposure is great here with everybody, in some way, coming to Sandy Ground – and now that there is an adjacent compatible shop with furniture and household accessories, I think it is a good synergy. We will both be benefiting from each other.
“Most of the art is my work. One of the artists is a French painter from St. Martin. I have been featuring her work for the last five years and now it is the two of us.”
“I think for tourists it is good to have some other things to do and see besides going to the beach.”
Chief Minister, Mr. Victor Banks, commented: “Sandy Ground is emerging as a venue for businesses and tourists. It is a show place for entertainment, and now it is a showplace for galleries and the arts. It is a great opportunity for residents in this area to get involved in an enterprise that would bring some additional value here. I certainly congratulate Mrs. Rhona Richardson-Roydon and Ms. Lynne Bernbaum for their projects.
Opposition Leader, Ms. Palmavon Webster, remarked: “The art gallery is what can be expected of Lynne Bernbaum. She has done incredible work always. She is a fixture in Anguilla and her creativity is amazing. I know that this is a standard that will be part of any resurgence in the economy. In terms of the Rhona’s building, if you look at the proportion, the architecture and how it is positioned between the pond and the sea, you can already feel the elements influencing the kind of design – and the elements are all natural and beautiful.”
The architect, Anguillian Mr. Asta Niles, said: “The thinking is simple. It is a traditional Sandy Ground house with pastiche and present-day concepts. If you look around Sandy Ground landscape, you will see pitched roofs, shutters and stone on the ground floor – so those are the concepts.
The designer is Ms. Sanja Ostertaard, and the other workers include Toby Proctor, James Hughes and Jeremy Hodge.
