Business as usual for John O’Groats Ferries as buyer is sought
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The owners of John O’Groats Ferries are still seeking a buyer – but in the meantime they are operating as normal and looking ahead to a "very promising" summer season.
It was announced in July last year that the business was being put up for sale as a going concern after being owned by members of the same family for more than half a century.
It is now run jointly by Deborah Fermor, her brother Ivor Thomas and Deborah’s husband Fred. There are about 10 staff.
Daily services operate between John O'Groats and Orkney from the beginning of May until the end of September on the passenger ferry Pentland Venture, with wildlife cruises every day until the end of August.
Mr Fermor said: “I am really pleased to say that the season ahead looks very promising indeed. We have lots of coach bookings from Europe and beyond and individual bookings are coming in thick and fast.
"So we’ll be here for another year, welcoming everybody to John O’Groats and Orkney and trying to give them the best experience we can.
"Of course, the business is on the market, and the last few years seem to have gone past rather quickly. It’s really getting to the stage where we should retire and try something different, albeit we’re still enjoying it.
"However, we’ve got no buyers at the moment. We’re planning to market it again on a national basis and we are quite hopeful that the business will find a suitable buyer that way.
"We are very keen to see it remain in John O’Groats. It’s quite good for tourism in the area – for all of Caithness, really – and so we would prefer to see it still around in 2024 and the years to follow.
"I would really urge anyone local looking to buy a good seasonal business, or indeed anyone with a desire to see it continue, to get in touch.”
The business was started in 1971 by Ian Thomas, father of Deborah and Ivor.
