Pier remains closed and future of ferry unclear

The owner of a Grade II listed pier in Southampton Water says it will remain closed to the public for now despite essential electrical works being completed.

People in Hythe have raised concerns about what the closure means for the potential return of the ferry service.

The vice-chair of the parish council, Mark Clark, said it had not received responses to any letters to the ferry's parent company requesting answers about the return of the service or the reopening of the pier.

When contacted by the BBC, a spokesperson for the ferry company, which leases the pier from its owner, said: "Essential works to support the pier and ferry operations are progressing."

The ferry service between Hythe and Southampton has been suspended since August 2024 when damage was found underneath the landing pontoon at the pierhead.

The pier closed in the autumn of this year for electrical work, according to Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company, which is a subsidiary of Red Funnel but operates as a separate business.

Earlier this month, the takeover of Red Funnel by investment firm Njord partners was confirmed but no mention was made of the Hythe ferry in the statement about the new owners.

Vice-chair of the parish council Mark Clark said all attempts to contact Njord partners and Red Funnel had been ignored.

"We simply don't know anything about whether the Hythe Ferry was included in the takeover, and as the tenant of the pier, it's their responsibility to determine when it can reopen again - we've asked them and had no answer".

Njord Partners were approached for comment but directed the BBC to Red Funnel.

Red Funnel's PR company sent a statement confirming the Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company and the boat itself was part of the takeover.

A spokesperson said: "We're pleased to confirm that the owners of Hythe Pier recently completed critical electrical repairs.

"This is an important step forwards but there is still work to be done.

"The ferry is a historic and much-loved service, and we are working hard behind the scenes, together with local partners, to find the right solution and secure a sustainable future".

But some locals say they are losing faith that the ferry service will return.

Hannah Howley runs Howley Coffee from a mobile van at the entrance to the pier.

She said footfall, which fell when the ferry stopped, had dropped again now the pier had closed.

"People are feeling sad and just losing hope the ferry is ever coming back - it's been over a year," she said.

"The longer the pier stays closed, the longer the impact on the business too".

Councillor Clark said some who had bought memorial planks on the pier were upset they were unable to access them.

"People can't even go to the place they chose to remember their relative and it's hitting on an emotional basis - this pier is part of our community," he said.

Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company leases the pier from Hythe Pier Company, which gives it access to the pier, landing stage and buildings to operate the service.

The owner of Hythe Pier is parish councillor Ashleigh Mutimear-MacMillan who bought it in November 2024.

She has posted in a local Facebook group saying the pier was closed by the tenant - Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company - because of health and safety concerns and it was the company that made "decisions about access, operation and reopening".

She added that she was exploring the option of the pier business becoming a charity, "as the only income is rental income and the full annual income has been spent on the electrical works".