Ferry routes face closure
Choices for cross-Channel passengers are to shrink again with the almost certain closure this winter of P&O Stena routes into Zeebrugge and Rotterdam. Unions were notified this week. The final decision is too distant to affect existing bookings.
P&O's reason is the consolidation of passenger services into Calais, buying Stena out of Dover-Calais, saying that that it wants to wholly own this, its most profitable service. One cause is the competition from Eurotunnel, another the potential competition from expanding low-cost airline services. One side effect will undoubtedly be the further dependence on superferries, with fares subsidised by on-board shop profits.
The routes being axed, Dover-Zeebrugge and Felixstowe to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, are predominantly freight lines.
The closure of the Dover-Zeebrugge service will leave only one passenger service into Belgium from Dover, the Hoverspeed two-hour crossing to Ostend, which is expanding this summer. P&O Northern will still operate Hull to Rotterdam and Norfolkline has already announced an expansion of its Dover to Dunkirk service, only 40 miles north of Calais.
The consolidation of services through Calais has continued for decades, with a matching shrinkage of services to smaller ports. P&O Stena pulled out of Boulogne and Dieppe a decade ago. Hoverspeed closed Boulogne, but took over the Newhaven-Dieppe route, operating it with one Superseacat. A traditional ferry route, the Transmanche, a four-hour service, started into Dieppe last year and European, Brittany Ferries and Condor are expanding services further south. For instance, Brittany Ferries and Condor will jointly operate a daily service from Poole to Cherbourg on a fast ferry taking 130 minutes running from May to September.
Never heard of it
The average British person is able to name just three continents of the world and a third of us cannot name even one, reveals a UK survey released by online travel service Opodo. With only 15% of us able to name all seven continents, the survey, conducted by ICM, shows that the UK's geographical knowledge would certainly seem limited.
Most excellent
The Excellence in England Gold Awards for Tourism, sponsored by Safeway, were awarded this week. Among the winners were:
· B&B: Clow Beck House, Monkend Farm, Croft-on-Tees, Darlington (tel: 01325 721075).
· Hotel over 50 rooms: Island Hotel, Tresco, Isles of Scilly (01720 422883).
· Hotel under 60 rooms: Matfen Hall, Hotel, Matfen, Northumberland (01661 886500).
· Most improved resort: Scarborough.
· Self-catering holiday: Underscar, Fisherback Mill, Old Lake Road, Ambleside, Cumbria (01539 432 321).
· Short-break destination: Northumbria (visitnorthumbria.com).
· Tourist information centre: Liverpool and Albert Dock (0151-708 8574).
· Visitor attraction over 100,00 visitors: Science Museum, London (020-7942 4998).
· Visitor attraction under 100,000 visitors: The world of Glass, St Helens, Merseyside (01744 22766).
