| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 26/03/01 |
| Author: | Page Number: 12 |
| Copyright: Other |
‘We’ll be building on the fast-ferry market’
tander and Cork-Roscoff services in 1978. In 1986, Portsmouth to Caen was added.
Managing director David Longden believes Portsmouth was key to establishing Brittany as market leader – it now holds 55% of the cross-Channel market excluding the Dover/Folkestone-Calais market.
“We are the logical alternative to the Channel Tunnel for people going to western or southern France,” he said.
“They can wake up in Caen or St Malo and have an easier drive to their destination than if they come across northern France.”
Some 80% of passengers are from the UK. Longwood explained: “It is hard to persuade other European markets to go north.”
With new distribution methods it is getting harder for agents to share in the ferry company’s fortunes.
“Five-years ago, 55% of bookings came through the trade but it has dropped to about 35%,” Longden said. “Our target market is happy to book over the Internet or from an advert in the paper. Unfortunately for the UK trade, many of our passengers are Francophiles and don’t need their help.”
Brittany pulled ahead of the competition in the 1990s, after investing heavily in technology, routes and ships.
“We were doing a better job on board, with the food, the pricing, the facilities and the accommodation,” said Longden. “When we started, a ferry operator typically would offer 250 cabins for 1,000 passengers. We changed that.”
A new chapter in the company’s history opens in May when it starts its first fast-ferry route, from Poole to Cherbourg, in co-operation with Condor Ferries.
Bookings are going well. “It is our first toe in the fast-ferry market and we entered tentatively but we will be building on it,” said Longden.
In addition, a new traditional ferry is being built at a cost of £80 million, to enter service next spring.
“It will have loads of cabins, big cinemas, a teenagers’ club, a greater choice of restaurants,” said Longden.
“People always want better standards – I don’t see that changing.”