In the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Melissa on October 28 in southern Jamaica, the reopening of Jack Sprat in Treasure Beach marks a critical milestone for the local community. The popular beachfront restaurant, operated by hotelier Jason Henzell, officially reopened on Tuesday (11 November) after extensive restoration following the storm’s damage. Jamaica Observer+1
Jack Sprat – Treasure Beach, Jamaica (Rachel Dimond)
A familiar institution returns
For years, Jack Sprat has been a pillar of Treasure Beach’s social life — a place where locals and visitors come together over good food, music and relaxed seaside ambiance. Even before Hurricane Melissa struck, the business had already weathered damage from Hurricane Beryl, making this its “second major restoration in 16 months”. Jamaica Observer
Henzell told the Jamaica Observer:
“We are going to reopen Jack Sprat on Tuesday, so that will be exactly two weeks after the hurricane. I thought it was going to take longer, but our staff are determined.” Jamaica Observer “It is not going to be perfect. It is not going to be the Jack Sprat that we saw before, but we figure it is better to open with it not being perfect than to wait for it to be perfect. Over time we will just keep improving, but people want to get a hot meal.” Jamaica Observer
Why the reopening matters
The reopening of Jack Sprat isn’t just about one business bouncing back. It reflects a broader pivot in the recovery process from immediate relief toward restoring livelihoods and economic activity. Henzell described this as moving from “Phase One” (food, water, tarpaulins) into “Phase Two” (livelihoods). Jamaica Observer
In his words:
“What we want to do by the end of this week is to move into rebuilding livelihoods … The places that are ready to go into phase two we need to make that leap… the economy is not going to come back all at once… but move with the places that are ready and let us start to build back the hope little by little, village by village, district by district, community by community, parish by parish.” Jamaica Observer
In this sense, Jack Sprat acts as a “heartbeat” of the community: its reopening signals to residents and visitors alike that Treasure Beach is stirring back to life. Henzell put it this way:
“People want to hear a little music playing and come and charge their phones and get on the Wi-Fi and stuff like that so we know that Jack Sprat is one of the institutions of Treasure Beach. A bit of the heartbeat of the place…” Jamaica Observer
Jack Sprat – Treasure Beach, Jamaica (Rachel Dimond)
What the restoration involved
The wind and surge of Hurricane Melissa battered the beachfront property. Henzell and his team mobilised quickly:
Local staff, family and contractors worked intensely to clean up debris and secure the site. Jamaica Observer
While Jack Sprat is first on the list to reopen, Henzell noted that his larger property, Jakes Hotel, will open in phases in the weeks ahead. Jamaica Observer
Henzell also highlighted how relief efforts are being coordinated: e.g., fishing wire for local fishers and vouchers for farmers. Jamaica Observer
Community impact and perspective
Treasure Beach sits on Jamaica’s south-west coast in the parish of St Elizabeth, and the storm’s impact across the region has been severe. Henzell acknowledged neighbours in places like Black River have been hit far worse, saying “our hearts really go out to those persons… So much devastation across the country.” Jamaica Observer
By reopening Jack Sprat, the community signals resilience. It invites locals to resume normal rhythms — having a meal, meeting friends, engaging in light commerce — and reminds visitors that the village is open for business. It also enables jobs, supply-chains and livelihoods tied to the restaurant and to the tourism ecosystem more broadly.
Looking ahead
While the reopening is a positive milestone, Henzell is realistic:
“It is going to take a few years for us to get back our national economy to where we were…” Jamaica Observer
But with establishments like Jack Sprat back, the dominoes of economic activity — workers served, food purchased, tourists welcomed — can begin to fall. He emphasises the principle:
“Don’t wait to get it perfect, just do what you can do and that is how we are going to get this done.” Jamaica Observer
For Treasure Beach, the reopening offers more than food — it offers hope. It signals the community is getting up again, out of the relief zone into the recovery zone, ready to rebuild not just structures, but lives and futures.
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