Businesses record 70 per cent losses from ferry fallout

The owner of Lochboisdale Hotel, Calum Macaulay, told the Gazette: “They might as well slap a Compulsory Purchase Order on our front door. That is the effect and I don’t think anyone in Edinburgh gives a damn.

“I have been here 22 years and I have never, never, never seen anything to compare with this in scale of losses. Up to the pandemic, we put £2.5 million into the local economy and employed 25 full time equivalent staff. These days are gone.

“If I. had a friend who had half a million quid to invest in the South Uist economy today, I would tell them – don’t touch it with a barge pole”.

Brian Currie, owner of Craigard Hotel in Castlebay, said: "Over Easter weekend my food sales were down 71.6 per cent and accommodation down 70 per cent. A lot of the bookings happened outwith the cancellation window so people were having to pay anyway and they were venting their anger at us.

"Buth Bharraigh, the community shop, also saw a huge impact. From the 1st to the 7th April their trade was down 49 per cent on turnover from the same week last year. Footfall right across the island is notably down. "

Andy Morrison, owner of the Harris Hotel in Tarbert, commented: "Just when you think it can't get worse it does. Last week’s announcement on Monday meant our phone was ringing off the hook with people cancelling their trips.

"Business at this time of the year is crucial coming out of a long winter, as although the season has certainly extended in recent years, small businesses are being squeezed at every level and we simply cannot afford these ongoing disruptions.

"We lost close to twenty room nights and a raft of dinner bookings, and have had as many people worried about later planned holidays because they are all too aware of what is going on now.

"I feel sorry for the staff in the offices at every port having to explain this level of farce to exasperated customers but the people in charge of this circus should be held to account."

MEANWHILE, there were desperate demands this week for redeployment of vessels to the islands as the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet struggled to maintain even skeleton services.

In advance of an election visit to Stornoway, First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney promised a £10 million “resilience fund” – but only to take effect after the Holyrood elections in May.

Opponents said there was no reason for a fund not to be opened immediately in face of the crisis for many businesses.

Torcuil Crichton MP, who last week called for urgent compensation, said: “Small and medium businesses in the Western Isles have been devastated by the Easter ferry crisis. They need support now to have cashflow and staff for the summer season when the islands will welcome visitors. We need immediate action, not pre-election bribes”.

In another week of challenges for CalMac:

- Plans to send the MV Glen Sannox north to provide relief were aborted for a second time after CalMac decided that the quarter billion pound ferry must remain close to repair yards on the Clyde.

- For the first time in decades, there was no direct sea connection between Uist and Harris, with services to Tarbert suspended and the Berneray-Leverburgh link out of action. Urgent hospital appointments in Stornoway were cancelled.

- The only CalMac vessel seen in Lochboisdale in the past week was MV Clansman, sailing between Lochmaddy and Castlebay, when a passenger had to be put ashore from a harrowing five hour passage.

On Wednesday, South Uist Impact Group pleaded for CalMac to “make urgent changes to its ferry allocation plan in the light of the latest series of breakdowns which sees just one ship serving the needs of four islands and five major ferry routes”.

They said: “SUBIG are demanding that MV Alfred is sent north to Uist to help take the strain and operate direct services between Tarbert and Lochmaddy along with some journeys to Skye to relieve pressure”.

This should be “at least until the return of the MV Loch Bhrusda”, the small 30 year-old vessel which was providing a relief service between Berneray and Leverburgh prior to breaking down last weekend. There is no other ferry in CalMac’s fleet which can operate on this route.

In an update on Tuesday evening, CalMac chief executive Duncan Mackison said: “Almost a third of our entire fleet is unavailable for service, creating a set of circumstances where significant disruption on multiple routes served by major and small vessels is unavoidable.

“Though the situation appeared to be stabilising, emergent issues across major and small vessels means the unprecedented scenario we find ourselves in has worsened. Everyone at CalMac is acutely aware of the level of disruption many islands on our network have faced recently, and I apologise for that.

Regarding MV Glen Sannox, Mr Mackison “a fuel leak in the port main engine space” and added that due to “persistent issues”, the vessel would now stay on the Clyde “ensuring that she is nearby to shore support and third-party expertise should it be required”.

Regarding the MV Lord of the Isles, Mr Mackison said “The vessel will now have to relocate to the Clyde for investigation into the root cause and repairs. We can only confirm her return to service when we begin the repair and get a fuller picture of the scope of work required, though we anticipate it could take up to a week from when the vessel arrives at a repair berth on Thursday”.

Regarding the Sound of Harris crossing, Mr Mackison said: “MV Loch Bhrusda reported an issue with her forward main engine and will transit to Mallaig for repairs. Repairs are expected to complete on Saturday and the vessel will return to service that day, or on Sunday 12 April.

“We've secured a passenger charter for the Sound of Harris. Unfortunately, no charters with vehicle space are available. We are liaising with customers and NHS Western Isles to try and support anyone booked to travel for urgent medical appointments”. The MV Loch Portain is not expected back on the route after “annual overhaul” for another month.

IN A FURTHER update after the Gazette had gone to press on Wednesday, CalMac said that they were diverting the MV Isle of Islay to the Barra run with the 'Alfred' providing cover on the Islay run. This will release the MV Clansman to return to operating a normal timetable on the Uig-Tarbert-Lochmaddy routes.