Hanging on to Herm is not easy
THE financial difficulties being endured by Herm could be seen as symptomatic of the entire hospitality industry in the Bailiwick.
Plenty of charm, but very much a niche choice for a holiday.
Struggling with reliable connectivity and finding a price point for visitors that covers ever-increasing infrastructure costs.
And then the day trip market tails off due to the cost-of-living crisis putting pressure on a return fare.
John Singer’s commitment to Herm was made clear in yesterday’s Guernsey Press and that island is the richer for it.
He sought an extension to the lease for the island in 2017 to provide the stability to make the investment that is needed to keep Herm afloat.
For while there is a certain charm in ‘Heath Robinson’ solutions, today’s visitor expects to get what they pay for, and that would include modern facilities.
Herm seemed to have found the ideal tenant – a person, with a corporate structure around him, who attempts to act in the best interests of the island, while keeping an eye on the bottom line, as he would be obliged to do.
But this arrangement is unlikely to last forever. And while Mr Singer aims to do his best for Herm, the island’s future is also something to keep an eye on.
Nobody would wish to see Herm go backwards.