£990,000 – the cost of four years of ferries

The vessels, which transport visitors to and from the castle, were bought in 2008 for a total of £500,000. Included in the £990,000 is the sum of £380,000, which covers the operating costs, including fuel and insurance, as well as staff costs, over the last four years. During that period, admissions into the castle – built in the 1500s and famous as Royalist stronghold during the English Civil War – provided revenue of almost £1.3 million.

According to Jersey Heritage, surveys show that more than 70 per cent of castle visitors used the vehicles – which are called Charming Betty and Charming Nancy – to access the site.

Full story in Wednesday’s JEP