Bosses of the Sabrina pleasure boat in Shrewsbury have insisted the attraction will remain in the town – despite bad weather leading to another ‘difficult’ summer of trading.
Brian Clarke, managing director of the Chester Boat Company which runs the service, said his firm was committed to the town and would see out their three-year contract, which runs out in September 2009.
He added he was hopeful the company would not need any financial assistance from local authorities or private firms if trading went well this month.
The boat, which is based on Victoria Quay, came to the town early last year to replace the River King and provides boat rides along a stretch of the River Severn for families, individuals and large parties.
It was hoped the service would become a stand-alone business to meet a demand for pleasure boats along the river, but last year Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council paid CBC a five-figure subsidy after bad weather resulted in poor trading figures.
SABC and Morris Property chiefs had both helped the company get the project off the ground with the aim of fully establishing the attraction ahead of the Darwin bicentenary celebrations in February 2009.
Mr Clarke said: “It has not been a good summer again, but we have traded well through difficult circumstances.
“We had no Easter at all, and while May was good June and July were wet and August has been pretty dull too – how we do in September will determine how good a year it has been for us.
“We have had two very poor summers and still traded well, and it’s been very similar with our boats in Chester and York. We are hoping we will not need a subsidy this year, and after 2009 we hope to act as a stand-alone business outside any local authority.
“With the indications I have so far I have no reason to believe the business will not be successful and it will be in the town permanently.”