Manche Iles Express are reportedly in talks to run a direct service between Sark and either Dielette or Carteret.
The move would provide a boost to the island’s tourism trade by providing additional beds for the summer months.
The decision by Sark Island Hotels, a subsidiary of the Barclay brothers-owned Sark Estate Management, to close Aval du Creux, La Moinerie, Hotel Petit Champ and Dixcart Bay Hotel, as well as all its other hospitality businesses, in 2014 meant that the total number of available rooms dropped by about a third.
However, they could soon reopen.
Kevin Delaney, chief executive of Sark Estate Management, revealed in the Sark Newsletter that he was preparing the Aval du Creux and the Time and Tide restaurant for reopening. And he added that once they were running again, he would look at reopening all of the company’s hospitality businesses in the island.
He said: ‘It is clear that there is a significant market on the west coast of France that Sark could access overnight if Manche Iles are given approval to land their passengers in Sark.
‘All that it would require was permission to land in the island, and it would not cost Sark a penny.
‘With this in mind I am, in my capacity as CEO of Sark Estate Management, bringing the Aval du Creux Hotel and Time and Tide Restaurant in the Avenue out of their current mothballed state and preparing them to be opened in time to meet the first of the direct sailings between France and Sark.’
The reason behind the closure was never made fully clear. Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay, who live on the neighbouring island of Brecqhou, have regularly criticised Sark’s electoral processes.
In 2008, the Barclays closed their Sark businesses for nearly two weeks after the majority of the candidates they supported failed to win seats in Sark’s first democratic elections.
However, the deal could be scuppered if Manches Iles are unable to berth directly from France. Currently ferries from France have to stop off in Jersey because of a lack of harbour controls in Sark.
Sark’s Harbours and Shipping Committee chairwoman Sandra Williams said: ‘We would welcome the hotel and restaurant reopening because we do get very negative feedback from people who come to the island or want to come to the island and find there’s no hotel accommodation available.
‘When they come through Jersey they clear Jersey Customs. We’ve been looking into having a Customs officer rather than a Customs post. If it’s not going to be at any cost to the island I would welcome it with open arms.’
Manche Iles Express director Hugues Gros confirmed that the company had spoken about operating to Sark with Seigneur Christopher Beaumont a few months ago.
‘We have told everybody that Manche Iles would be ready to operate a direct sailing from France to Sark, but for the time being we’ve never talked about a date or a schedule. We are waiting for the green light from all the parties involved,’ he said.
