South Coast Cruises closes after three decades

South Coast Cruises, which was launched in 1985 and ran trips between St Helier and Corbière during the holiday season, closed last week.

And its 100-seater vessel Southern Bay Rose has been sold to UK firm Jet Stream Charters and will soon start a new life as a charter boat on the River Medway.

Owner Dennis Spencer (68), said it was sad to say goodbye to Southern Bay Rose, which he had used for the past 17 years, and added that he believed the tourism industry in the Island has changed vastly from his early days and he ‘cannot see it coming back’.