One of these natural gems is the Homborsund lighthouse in Grimstad. Here, employees of the Norwegian Coastal Administration can enjoy a holiday with the sea on all sides. news has investigated around 20 such government buildings along the entire coast. In the overviews we have gained access to, they are referred to as “holiday homes” by the agencies themselves. Not everyone is equally happy about this. – These buildings and the surrounding areas belong to the public sector. Then it is strange that it should be reserved for those who work in a special agency. The words come from Lars Verket, author, outdoorsman and kayak enthusiast. Outdoor enthusiast Lars Verket believes that several government buildings along the coast should be left to the public. Photo: Øystein Paulsen Few people know the Skagerrak coast and the outer archipelago better than he does. The work has also spent the night at all the lighthouses. He believes that more people should be given the opportunity in the future. – More and more people want to holiday in these wonderful places. But there is a shortage of space. The solution is to use more of the holiday homes for this, says Verket. Now he is calling for public guidelines that make this possible. The building with the lighthouse is today used as a holiday home for employees of the Coastal Administration and their families. Photo: Sissel Rikheim / news – Adel på fyrøya The assistant housing next to the lighthouse in Homborsund is today run by a friends’ association. The building is fully booked all season with over 800 guest nights a year. Long-standing leader of the association, Jan Arild Vassbotn, says that the Norwegian Coastal Administration’s monopoly on the main building has frustrated many for years. – They are easily perceived as nobility on the island with their exclusive scheme. – Other people have to be on a waiting list for accommodation and use the toilet. The Coastal Agency’s people have a more modern toilet facility and the beautiful lighthouse building alone. Jan Arild Vassbotn, long-time leader of Homborsund lighthouse’s friends, believes that the Norwegian Coastal Administration acts like pure nobility at the lighthouse. Photo: Privat Vassbotn says they had needed more space for visitors and that the lighthouse building is well suited for this. He says that the Norwegian Coastal Administration also flatly rejects anyone who wants to go up to the lighthouse itself. The local primary school’s application to use an unused basement in the building has also been rejected. According to the Norwegian Coastal Administration itself, this is about ensuring navigation and maritime safety. – Therefore, we do not want outsiders to have access to the navigation installation itself. This also applies to other employees with us. That’s what Olav Helge Matvik, senior adviser for communications and public relations at the Coastal Administration, says. He adds that there are guided tours of some lighthouses where there are facilities for this. Homborsund lighthouse is a sought-after holiday gem at the far end of the sea. Photo: Pål Tegnander / news – Will be an attractive workplace news has been given access to the two agencies’ own overviews of coastal pearls that are still used as holiday resorts for government employees. Some of these are used in addition to courses and conferences, according to the agencies themselves. During the past decade, the Norwegian Coastal Administration has handed over a number of buildings to the Norwegian Tourist Association (DNT) and other voluntary organisations. But the agency has in a number of places kept the main buildings on the lighthouses for its own use. In total, the Norwegian Coastal Administration currently has 8 such holiday homes along the coast. And it is a sensible use, according to Olav Helge Matvik in the Coastal Agency. The scheme with holiday homes for employees contributes to making the Coastal Agency an attractive place to work, says senior adviser for communications and public relations at the Coastal Agency, Olav Helge Matvik. Photo: Private – This is a personnel policy measure that also contributes to maintenance through use, he believes. At the same time, he emphasizes that 80 out of a total of 115 fire stations have already been leased to external enthusiasts and actors, as previously mentioned DNT. – But what are the arguments for continuing to use buildings as holiday homes for employees? – The Norwegian Coastal Administration wants to be an attractive workplace and attract the best employees. The employees have a strong commitment to the coast, and then the holiday home scheme is a positive and environmentally friendly offer. Oksøy lighthouse is located in the entrance to Kristiansand. Mostly used by the Norwegian Coastal Administration for meetings, seminars and accommodation. Photo: Lars Verket / larsverket.photography Møvik toll station is used by employees of the Norwegian Customs Service as a holiday home. The surrounding area has become a free zone, but critics believe it is difficult to get to the area due to holiday use. Photo: Pål Tegnander / news Odderøy lighthouse in Kristiansand. Used for accommodation by the County Conservator. Photo: Nina Kristiin Vraa / news Here at Glåpen lighthouse employees of the Coastal Administration can come and enjoy their holidays with family and friends. The lighthouse is located at Sørvågen in Moskenes municipality, Lofoten. Photo: Kjell Jøran Hansen / news The home connected to the tower at Homborsund lighthouse is reserved for employees as a holiday home. The rest of the lighthouse is managed and maintained by an association of friends on behalf of Grimstad municipality. Photo: Pål Tegnander / news Jomfruland lighthouse outside Kragerø, with its two lighthouses. One of the buildings here is used as a holiday home for employees of the Coastal Administration. Photo: Lars Verket / larsverket.photography Hesnes’ former customs station on Vestre Hesnesøy outside Grimstad. White House No. 2 from the left is the old customs station. Now a holiday home for the customs office. Photo: Pål Tegnander / news Fjøløy lighthouse in Rogaland is reserved for employees of the Coastal Administration. Photo: Gunnar Morsund / news Bjørnsund lighthouse in Hustadvika in Møre and Romsdal is used by the Coastal Administration’s employees as a holiday home. Photo: Ann Eli Nøsen The old toll station in Brekkestø in Lillesand is used by the customs as a holiday home. – A number of benefits for society Tollvesenet has, to a lesser extent than the Coastal Administration, allowed the general public into the historic customs booths. These are almost in a row along the Oslo Fjord and the Sørland coast. 14 of the buildings are still used as resorts, conferences and courses for the employees. Erik Guldhav, divisional director of the Norwegian Customs Service, emphasizes that many of the customs booths are protected and must be preserved well over time. The fact that the agency itself uses the buildings ensures this, he believes. Many of the customs booths are listed buildings. The fact that the customs agency is responsible for these ensures that they are properly taken care of, says divisional director Erik Guldhav in the administration division of the customs agency Photo: Bård Gudim / the customs agency – The scheme is comprehensive, resource efficient and has a number of benefits for society. This must not be regarded as a “holiday arrangement” for employees. He emphasizes that this use also helps to finance the operation through some voluntary work, welfare funds and self-payment. But the most important reason for keeping the customs booths is something he refers to as “maritime control”. He will not comment on what this entails and how the closed, older customs booths can contribute to this. – Operational use for maritime activities, we cannot comment for shielding reasons, says Guldhav. – State privatization At Møvig in Kristiansand, Jon Holt shows us the old Tollbooth and associated buildings. The stately white-painted main house from the 18th century is surrounded by rocky outcrops and open spaces on all sides. This is also used as a holiday home in the eaten. Holt believes the building should have been taken over by others and used for more general purposes. Among other things, to convey the exciting history of the area. Jan Holt believes that the use of the old toll station at Møvig hinders public transport. He believes that the customs office should give up the building and that historical dissemination can be carried out there. Photo: Erik Wiig Andersen / news – It is not only the customs office that can manage to maintain and operate these buildings. We have many examples of organizations, teams and associations that have managed this in an excellent way. As a former legal adviser in Kristiansand municipality, a few years ago Holt helped the Norwegian Customs Service to turn the outdoor areas around the buildings into a free area. But he believes that the use of the building itself as a resort still prevents the general public from having proper access to important sea areas. – As you can see, most people will be reluctant to walk past the paved patio here when there are people in the house, he says. He believes that the current use of the tollbooth functions as pure government privatization of the area. The customs agency rejects this and points out that Holt was well pleased when the area was converted into a free zone. The areas around the toll station at Møvig are a free zone. But the critics believe that the use of the building, including as a resort for Customs employees, hinders public traffic. Photo: Pål Tegnander / news Take the case to the Storting The Green Party, the MDG is now taking the case to the Storting. Acting party leader Arild Hermstad thinks it is strange that these buildings are not open to everyone. – It is high time that these cabins are made available to the general public. It is the community that owns them and it is the community that is responsible for the maintenance. Then the places must also be able to be used by most people. Hermstad says at the same time that he is happy that some of the properties have already been opened by the tourist association and others taking over the operation. – I hope the State quickly enters into a dialogue with DNT about doing the same with more cabins. In any case, we will raise the issue in the Storting during the autumn. Vestre Hesnesøy, with Hesnes’ former customs office (White house no. 2 from the left). Photo: Pål Tegnander / news
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Coveted coastal pearls are used as holiday homes for government employees – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
