THERE are fears in Sark that the passenger service from Guernsey cannot sustain two operators. Trident Charter has applied to compete against Isle of Sark Shipping, linking the two islands and Herm.

In a letter for Trident written in December, Advocate Gordon Dawes said it would offer a £16 adult return fare to Sark, undercutting the current operator by about £5.

Deputy Sandra Williams, who runs the Island Hall cafe, was against introducing competition.

‘I think it’s a bad thing. Because Sark now owns Sark Shipping, it would be foolhardy to accept another operator which will only cost us more in the long run because we’ll lose money from people coming on the other boat,’ she said.

There were not enough people to warrant two operators.

Stocks Hotel proprietor Paul Armorgie said there were two sides to the coin.

‘On the one hand we’re very keen to maximise the number of people that come to Sark, to see fares being competitive and people coming to the island being made as welcome as they can from the moment they leave Guernsey until they get to Sark,’ he said.

‘But you have to ask yourself, is there enough volume to have two operators on that route?’

It also raised issues with maintaining a winter service because Sark Shipping used the summer sailings to subsidise the quieter winter period, he added.

‘Is it right to open up our lifeline link to all-comers, have a great service in the summer, but a lack of service in the winter?’ he said.

‘I would prefer to see the situation where the existing management company got together with Trident and said: ﾓHow could we best combine our services?”’

* Ship & Fly Ltd became the managers of Isle of Sark Shipping in June. Max Carling is CEO of Ship & Fly, not managing director of Isle of Sark Shipping, as reported in Thursday’s Guernsey Press.