‘£4 fare rise could doom Sark Shipping’
Wednesday 24th December 2008, 2:29PM GMT.
Sark Venture pulls out of Creux Harbour while work is in progress at Maseline. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0674838)
A proposed rise in the cost of a standard return ticket to Sark could spell the end for Isle of Sark Shipping, according to another operator.
Chief Pleas has a financial commitment of £1.89m. to the company which has been trading at a loss of some £2,000 per week for at least two years.
Under proposals that the Shipping Committee will put to the Assembly next month, a return ticket will cost £25.99.
‘I think a £4 hike could be the final nail in the coffin,’ said Travel Trident general manager Peter Wilcox.
Its request to operate to Sark was turned down by the Lt-Governor a year ago following an independent report on the application carried out by Dr Jonathan Spencer.
‘We were talking about a fare for last season of £16, which we might have had to tinker with a bit given the rise in the cost of fuel, but not that much.’
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I think it is a disgrace that sark shipping is thinking of adding £4 to its fair, as if it is not expensive enough. I think that sark shippings entire mangerment should have a good long hard look at what went wrong and why it is losing so much money. Either have a overhaul of mangerment or seek advice from other small ferry companies to see if they can get any ideas. As it stands at the moment, all the media interest of the recent on going battles between the “anti” and “pro barcaly” camps will have an adverse effect on tourism. So it is probarbly going to get a lot worse.
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Time that the Channel Islands were united in some sort of federation. 2009 could herald a very serious threat to 800 years of independent government and the rights of islanders to choose their own destiny.
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Why not let the Barclays take over the company or provide an alternative as at least they have a successful proven track record when it comes to managing businesses.
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My mum has been toying with idea of taking her grandson to sark for over a year now but when the cost of a day trip is considered and compared to that of a day trip to Herm it’s a no brainer.
Blimey, a day trip to jersey would be about the same cost at certain times of year!! absolutely appalling and definitaly a discouragment to tourism despite all the barclay kerfuffle.
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A channel Island federation is an interesting idea. Sometimes it is worth trading a “formal” independence for a pooling of soverignty.
It does seem to me that the other Islands have found the Barclay’s attempt at an economic coup d’etat alarming, and would have a legitimate interest in taking steps to make sure that such a coup in the future could not suceed.
Mr Bate refers to the Barclay’s “proven track record ” but what does that consist of?
The Daily Telegraph looses money and at the same time as the Sark closure they were getting rid of a large number of high profile, and so well paid, journalists.
Could it be that such as I malign the Barclays by thinking there behaviour in Sark motivated by pique? maybe, their wealth founded on property, the credit crunch means they are strapped for cash and forced to reconsider all their committments. Like the Telegraph, and Sark.
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Tourism is supposed to be the life-blood of Sark. Therefore, Sark Shipping must bring tourists to Sark. New management have decided that their primary focus will be on maintaining an all year round service for residents since UK emanated tourism is in decline. This is an error. Guernsey alone will provide enough Sark tourism if only the fares were appealing, and by appealing we mean (£5 etc), this would get the island buzzing – but present management is ridgid and seek only to stabilise a sinking ship. Oh dear, we are in for a very poor year if indeed we survive at all!! Take a chance…or lose everything!
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william bate’s hits the nail on the head when he suggests “Why not let the Barclays take over the company or provide an alternative”. This could be added to the twin’s grip on Sark’s businesses. Whilst you are at it, why not let Russia have a monopoly on the supply of Sark’s gas and oil.
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I’d rather take the kids to Jersey Zoo durring the tenner fest on Condor then go to Sark for the day trip… it’s cheaper and you get duty free.
Rgs Steve
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Herms only £9 return, that’s cheaper then Jersey
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I think that its a silly idea to raise the prices. i cant afford to go to sark now let alone when thay raise the prices.Its always about the money but thay will end up shooting themselfs in the foot. I would go to sark more if it was around £5 return but over 30 is a bit to much its a real shame cause i want to go to sark to support there buisnesses after all the barcley mess but now i dont think i can.
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I loved Sark when I went for the first time this year and wanted to go back in the summer next year but if the prices go up to £25 then there is no chance, I can go to Jersey for about that price or £5 more in the summer!
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How come Sark Shipping were given a monopily to carry passengers and freight to the Island when they are almost certinaly insolvent
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Unfortunately Sark will regret the day they refused the assistance of Travel Trident, as I could see it made so much sense to use their boats..
There is so much financial uncertainty in the world, and it really beats me that the fare is being raised at this time.
Now is the time for both shipping companies to work together, otherwise the Sark Tourist trade will not survive with a price of £25.99. ( £26.00), and it’s just not the fare as there is always lunch, bike hire, carriage rides, etc etc.
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Quote by David
“Mr Bate refers to the Barclay’s “proven track record ” but what does that consist of?
The Daily Telegraph looses money and at the same time as the Sark closure they were getting rid of a large number of high profile, and so”
What planet are you on? you don`t get what they have by a bad track record, from 600m to 1.6 Billion in ten years, they have large investments in shipping all over the world & without some investment Sark shipping will be sunk.
you can not milk the locals dry with taxes to bail out the mistakes of the past directors/shipping commities, the people who miss managed the company before should put there hands in there pockets.
Who in there right mind would buy a new boat one day after the Barclay’s informed Sark that they were buying there own boat for cargo?
this is not something new the company has been miss managed since the Drakes left. Nobody got it in to there thick heads that lower fares would increase numbers boost the islands buinesses which in turn would import more on the cargo boat increasing turnover,
MORE TOURISTS = MORE MONEY
Not rocket sicence is it?
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Disgusting.
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It appeared to me at the time that people from Sark treated Peter Wilcox the same as they have the Barclay’s. “No man is an island” someone once said. A community as small as Sark must realise in this day and age that it can’t go-it-alone and survive. When we visit Guernsey getting a ticket from Peter and his family with thier happy smiling faces is a far more pleasurable experience than going to the Sark Shipping office with the long faces in there. It sort of invites you to go ahead and spend your cash, on the boat trip and on the island when you get there. But there, I’m only an outsider!!
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I’ve spent holidays on Sark of and on for 40 years and have always thought the return fare from Guernsey to be higher than it should be and has influenced the number of times I have visited the island . The higher fare wouldn’t stop me coming because I love the island and it’s residents but for day trippers the cost is way too high .Surely some consultation with prospective day trippers would reveal that they would be more tempted to visit with a realistic fare?
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Charge higher fares so less tourists = less profits and shipping company will eventually go bankrupt..
Get them on the island with a cheaper fares and they will spend their valuable cash with local businesses so profit for the island, some of which could be used to subsidize the shipping company.
Also negotiate with Travel Trident who seems to me could be the saviour of Sark Shipping, with lower fares more boats.
Where is the problem.
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While higher charges will not stop me visiting Sark, it will mean that I have less money to spend when I get there.
The extra cost of a visit will probably mean one less restaurant meal.
Or fish and chips instead of Lobster. Ah well.
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Let me get this right, Sark recognise that they need tourism to build their economy. So they refuse an operator who would charge passengers to their island approx. £16 per journey, in preference to those who operate Sark Shipping to charge £25.99.
Is that correct?
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