End of the road to the Scillies
Thread Starter
End of the road to the Scillies
End of the road, so to speak. Sad news, this service has been around for a long time.
The Press Association: Scilly Isles helicopter flights end
The Press Association: Scilly Isles helicopter flights end
A South West town has been dealt a huge blow after a helicopter firm announced it was scrapping flights, with the threat of redundancies.
British International Helicopters (BIH) announced that it was closing the domestic helicopter passenger route between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly from November this year.
The company said the decision was triggered by a legal challenge by Tesco over plans to build a Sainsbury's supermarket on the existing BIH site.
A BIH statement confirmed the closure of the heliport would "affect employees" and that workers had entered a formal redundancy consultation process.
Managing director Tony Jones said: "The route has run for 49 years so this is an extremely sad announcement for BIH, its employees and its customers - in fact the whole of west Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Unfortunately we had no alternative."
The company said the decision to close the route was "finally triggered by legal action taken by Tesco and two private individuals". It said the legal challenges of the planning process prevented the firm from completing the sale of the land to Sainsbury's.
BIH has repeatedly stated publicly that the land needed to be sold in a reasonable timeframe to release the capital required to continue the service, at a different location.
Cornwall Councillor Andrew Wallis described the decision as "a kick in the teeth" for the two communities. He added: "To me, this is two supermarkets squabbling over a piece of land, and the communities of Penzance and the Isles of Scilly are the ones to miss out."
Andrew May, chairman of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, which runs the Scillonian ferry service between the mainland and the archipelago, said: "The helicopter has been a fixture of islands travel for almost 50 years and during that time our two companies have worked together in a spirit of friendly competition.
"Our focus now must be to work with the island community to ensure that we do our best to compensate for this loss of service. We hope this will reassure and help allay concerns that people may have."
British International Helicopters (BIH) announced that it was closing the domestic helicopter passenger route between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly from November this year.
The company said the decision was triggered by a legal challenge by Tesco over plans to build a Sainsbury's supermarket on the existing BIH site.
A BIH statement confirmed the closure of the heliport would "affect employees" and that workers had entered a formal redundancy consultation process.
Managing director Tony Jones said: "The route has run for 49 years so this is an extremely sad announcement for BIH, its employees and its customers - in fact the whole of west Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Unfortunately we had no alternative."
The company said the decision to close the route was "finally triggered by legal action taken by Tesco and two private individuals". It said the legal challenges of the planning process prevented the firm from completing the sale of the land to Sainsbury's.
BIH has repeatedly stated publicly that the land needed to be sold in a reasonable timeframe to release the capital required to continue the service, at a different location.
Cornwall Councillor Andrew Wallis described the decision as "a kick in the teeth" for the two communities. He added: "To me, this is two supermarkets squabbling over a piece of land, and the communities of Penzance and the Isles of Scilly are the ones to miss out."
Andrew May, chairman of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, which runs the Scillonian ferry service between the mainland and the archipelago, said: "The helicopter has been a fixture of islands travel for almost 50 years and during that time our two companies have worked together in a spirit of friendly competition.
"Our focus now must be to work with the island community to ensure that we do our best to compensate for this loss of service. We hope this will reassure and help allay concerns that people may have."
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Queen of The Moorlands
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There are plenty of other options for shopping in Pz these days, and its a small town. Hope Tesco suffer. I spent a number of years living by the Heliport, Pz wont be the same without it.
Steamship company need to step up to the mark and buy a fast cat for the service.
So sorry for the BIH people, used to park the Bolkow up there when on the lights, great times in Penzance
How long will it take the likes of Tesco and Sainsbury's to work out that corporate greed is the number one killer of society in the UK ( next to the f**king unions) and coming to a cinema near you soon...................... Nothing.
So sorry for the BIH people, used to park the Bolkow up there when on the lights, great times in Penzance
How long will it take the likes of Tesco and Sainsbury's to work out that corporate greed is the number one killer of society in the UK ( next to the f**king unions) and coming to a cinema near you soon...................... Nothing.
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not hard to boycott Tesco on the Scillies, there's only a couple of options and neither are Tesco!
Sad news regardless of the cause.
edit to add: They haven't been flying for a while now anyway, Tesco/Sainsbury's ding dong or not.
Sad news regardless of the cause.
edit to add: They haven't been flying for a while now anyway, Tesco/Sainsbury's ding dong or not.
Last edited by tom3; 2nd Aug 2012 at 19:44.
Could the Council have done more to resolve the legal wrangling, given that BIH had 'repeatedly stated publicly that the land needed to be sold in a reasonable timeframe to release the capital required to continue the service'?
It's not as if Cornwall Council have a gleaming track record in terms of managing aviation matters, is it?
It's not as if Cornwall Council have a gleaming track record in terms of managing aviation matters, is it?
So there is an opportunity here for someone with a faster ,more economic modern helicopter to fill the need.There is obviously demand.After all who wants to spend three hours in the Atlantic approaches to Scilly?
Where to base it is the issue.BIH tried and failed to set up a new base close to the main road and rail route north of Penzance but the locals weren't sympathetic..Newquay was too far for the venerable S-61 and Lands End too far for the passengers ?
And what helicopter ? Already paid for AS332L ? Nice new AW139 ? S-92 ?
Ideas from our Cornish friends ?
Where to base it is the issue.BIH tried and failed to set up a new base close to the main road and rail route north of Penzance but the locals weren't sympathetic..Newquay was too far for the venerable S-61 and Lands End too far for the passengers ?
And what helicopter ? Already paid for AS332L ? Nice new AW139 ? S-92 ?
Ideas from our Cornish friends ?
Last edited by heli1; 3rd Aug 2012 at 08:01. Reason: spelling
And what helicopter ? Already paid for AS332L ? Nice new AW139 ? S-92 ?
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: swansea, wales
Age: 66
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Precisely my sentiments helinut. That company recently build another infernal superstore on my doorstep in an area that was previosuly beautiful contryside. Two cats killed on their road that runs along our back garden, a vets bill of £500 ofr another harmed on the road (the cats were there first), traffic chaos and house damage, none of which said company accepts any responsibility for, plans pushed through against local wishes, in Bristol there were riats when they pushed another store on that community, I personally cannot wait for the financial demise of Tesco, they are not a considerate neighbour but an all too powerful bully that could not give a care for their continued negative impact on the quality of life for local folks. Dont expect them to care in this instance also.
Far East Driver...Who said anything about BIH operating AS332Ls on the route ? They haven't got any money and we need someone who has .
It needs a new operator to come in .Bond/Inaer ? CHC ? Veritair ....an entrepreneur ?
It needs a new operator to come in .Bond/Inaer ? CHC ? Veritair ....an entrepreneur ?
Last edited by heli1; 3rd Aug 2012 at 09:25. Reason: spelling
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tresco have just spent in excess of £10 million adding to their already extensive stock of property for rental and timeshare and will be desperately keen to maintain helicopeter links as their well heeled punters have grown accustomed to the ease of acces via the direct S-61 links to the island. But if the existing longterm operator using old equipment can't make it pay, and anyone who takes it on will incur similar fuel costs, what chance of another outfit stepping in ?
Scillonians heading to Cornwall for medical treatment seem set to incur major difficulties compared to the relative ease with which they have been able to get to and from Cornwall via the S-61 services.
Scillonians heading to Cornwall for medical treatment seem set to incur major difficulties compared to the relative ease with which they have been able to get to and from Cornwall via the S-61 services.
I personally cannot wait for the financial demise of Tesco, they are not a considerate neighbour but an all too powerful bully that could not give a care for their continued negative impact on the quality of life for local folks. Dont expect them to care in this instance also.
On the subject of Scillonians heading to Cornwall for pre-planned medical treatment, why can't they go by fixed wing to Land's End or Newquay? The latter is closer to Treliske in any case. And any medical emergencies (which wouldn't have gone by S-61 in any case), there will still be a SAR aircraft at Culdrose.
Last edited by TorqueOfTheDevil; 3rd Aug 2012 at 12:50.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
End of the road to the Scillies
I'm certainly no fan of Tesco and, although no doubt working to their own agenda, the Times is reporting that their challenge is a "technical" one based on BIH's failure to come up with a viable alternative LS; a pre-condition of the sale of the site to Sainsbury. A cynic might say that this was purely a wallet-fattening manoeuvre by the BIH management team from the start. While this delay may prevent the cash changing hands quite so soon, it won't help the employees.
Join Date: May 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't blame Tesco. They objected quite naturally to having Sainsbury on their door-step....Morrisons the other side must think the same. The question that should be asked is who in Cornwall County Council let BIH/Sainsburys even apply for change of use from heliport (essential link to Scillies) to supermarket (Penzance has plenty of those already.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Scilly route...
Griff,
You obviously don't know the IoS / Penzance helicopter operation very well at all.
There are people that use the schedule for hospital appointments. They are not all casualties.
And the BAS HEMS cab at NQY: they are busy!
You obviously don't know the IoS / Penzance helicopter operation very well at all.
There are people that use the schedule for hospital appointments. They are not all casualties.
And the BAS HEMS cab at NQY: they are busy!
Last edited by Papa.Mike; 12th Aug 2012 at 12:55.
Papa.Mike,
Fair comment, I am a few years out of touch to say the least
But when I did fly the service, the Air ambulance did most of the IOS emergency work, maybe that's what I should have said.
I stand by my original comment about the Steamship company
Fair comment, I am a few years out of touch to say the least
But when I did fly the service, the Air ambulance did most of the IOS emergency work, maybe that's what I should have said.
I stand by my original comment about the Steamship company
This has just appeared on 'Vertical':
Isles of Scilly helicopter link is saved
12:32pm Tuesday 21st August 2012 in News
The future of Penzance’s helicopter links to the Isles of Scilly looks secure after Tesco announced it has withdrawn its opposition for a new British International Helicopters site in the town.
The supermarket giant had been pursuing a judicial review against the planning permission granted for the project.
The decision to withdraw the review has followed a commitment from British International Helicopters (BIH) to continue helicopter services between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, if all legal challenges are dropped.
12:32pm Tuesday 21st August 2012 in News
The future of Penzance’s helicopter links to the Isles of Scilly looks secure after Tesco announced it has withdrawn its opposition for a new British International Helicopters site in the town.
The supermarket giant had been pursuing a judicial review against the planning permission granted for the project.
The decision to withdraw the review has followed a commitment from British International Helicopters (BIH) to continue helicopter services between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, if all legal challenges are dropped.
Last edited by JimL; 22nd Aug 2012 at 08:14.
