Hythe Ferry Company liquidation

[341o2]

Hope this is the right section given that work has been done by a support group to restore the train.

Yesterday it has been announced that despite efforts to find a buyer for the ferry ompany, no offers have been recieved.

Therefore, the company has been voluntarily liquidated

 

[Jan Mayen]

I see the service is suspended. I take it this will be the case until further notice? I was planning on going to Southampton in a week or so.

 

[Gloster]

I see the service is suspended. I take it this will be the case until further notice? I was planning on going to Southampton in a week or so.

I think that it has been suspended for more than a year, but they can no longer ‘hope’ to be back. The company’s accounts up to 28 December 2023 are now over a year overdue, but in the last couple of days there have been cases of items released from charges, whatever that means.

Is this not an opportunity for Southampton or Hampshire councils to purchase the moribund and, presumably, low value company in order to reinstate a useful link. However, it would not surprise me if parent company Red Funnel, now in the hands of private equity, have left a few booby-traps, sorry, prudent financial measures.

 

[Class73Electro]

Really sad to hear this, had a few good trips to see the cruise ships in years past.

Who owns the pier now? I thought (but may be misremembering) that it had been sold to a pound to a local? would it (theoretically) be better to just start up a new company, away from the issues of the previous one? The Hythe Scene (the ferry on the route) was not in great condition last time I travelled on her

 

[Gloster]

Hythe Pier, including the railway but excluding the unusable ferry pontoon, appears to have been sold to a local councillor trading as the Hythe Pier Company; there is also a Hythe Pier Heritage Association. It was reported that it was due to reopen on April 2 last after a period of closure.

 

[Ailsa_Craig]

Hythe Pier, including the railway but excluding the unusable ferry pontoon, appears to have been sold to a local councillor trading as the Hythe Pier Company; there is also a Hythe Pier Heritage Association. It was reported that it was due to reopen on April 2 last after a period of closure.

The pier had reopened when I walked past it a few days ago. It used to be very popular with Saints fans to get to the matches. I cannot see this service ever resuming

 

[bramling]

The pier had reopened when I walked past it a few days ago. It used to be very popular with Saints fans to get to the matches. I cannot see this service ever resuming

It’s unfortunate as without the ferry the pier and railway serve little purpose. It would be good to see it all up and running again, Southampton to Hythe is quite a detour by land.

 

[weeklycommuter]

This is the BBC news report today of the voluntary liquidation of the Hythe to Southampton Ferry. I assume it is gone forever.

Unless the Office of Rail and Road approves the open access application for an hourly train service between Southampton and Marchwood the only public transport to and from the Waterside on the West side of Southampton Water in future will be the bus service.

It was announced on 25 March 2026 that the four Waterside parishes of the New Forest will be part of the South West Hampshire (Greater Southampton) unitary authority from April 2028 so the future of public transport to, from and in the four Waterside parishes will be a matter for this new unitary authority and the Hampshire and the Solent Combined Authority. I cannot see them restarting this Hythe to Southampton ferry service.

Without the ferry I cannot see anyone being interested in running Hythe Pier or its train service as the only point was connecting to the ferry.

Hythe Ferry service goes into voluntary liquidation

The ferry operated a 10-minute crossing of Southampton Water between Hythe Pier and Town Quay.

www.bbc.co.uk

A ferry which has been out of service for 18 months has gone into voluntary liquidation.
The Hythe Ferry, linking Hythe and Southampton Town Quay, was suspended in August 2024 after damage was found to its pontoon and supporting structure.
A spokesperson for the Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company said it had made the difficult decision after "exhausting every possible avenue" to seek grants, funding or another operator to take the service on.
The company said it was a "deeply disappointing outcome", adding that it understands how much the ferry meant to the local community.
In a statement, the ferry firm said "Over the past 18 months, [we have] worked extensively to try and find a sustainable solution that would allow the service to return.
"Unfortunately, despite exhausting every possible avenue, no viable proposals or interested parties have emerged.
"We would like to thank everyone who has supported the ferry during this challenging time."
In 2023, Isle of Wight ferry firm Red Funnel took over The Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company, which operates the passenger link across Southampton Water.
In December last year, Red Funnel was acquired by investment firm Njord Partners, which decided it was not best suited to operate the Hythe service and the ferry firm began looking for someone to take it on.
A ferry has run between Southampton and Hythe since the Middle Ages and is marked on a map dated 1575.