LIQUIDATORS at the Bristol Ferry Boat Company have put all five of the firm's boats up for sale.
Buyers can bid on the passenger boats through auctioneers AMS Auctions, who have given interested parties until noon on Thursday to submit bids.
Up for sale are the yellow and blue Brigantia, Matilda, Emily, Margaret and Independence, which made up the fleet of the company based in Welsh Back. The auction company will be taking sealed bids for the boats, either individually or together as a single lot.
Jamie Whitmarsh, director of AMS Auctions, told The Post that the auctioneers had been inundated with enquiries about the boats.
He said: "There has been a lot of interest so far, lots of enquiries and lots of people coming down to have a look."
Mr Whitmarsh said the boats will be offered to the highest bidder after all the bids are opened, unless the price is unacceptably low.
"It's not just a case of selling them willy-nilly," he said. "As long as the offer is reasonable and we are happy and the liquidator is happy, they will be sold.
"It's a sale of great interest and importance to Bristol. We are very keen to do a good job for the sellers and for the sake of the company."
The Bristol Ferry Boat Company – of which Bristol mayor George Ferguson was a shareholder – called in the liquidators in November after economic downturn and the wet summer compounded financial problems.
The company, which was formed in 1970, employed 30 people at the height of the summer.
The company was originally set up by Ian Bungard but Jane Salvidge became the owner several years ago with the support of her then husband Rob Salvidge, who is now skipper of the Matthew.
News of the company going under brought disappointment to its staff and passengers.
Letters poured in to The Post from readers who were sad to hear of its demise.
Last ditch talks at the end of November failed to save the company.
As reported in The Post in the days after the liquidator was called in, discussions were held between a number of unnamed organisations and people to see if the business could be resurrected.
The failure of the Bristol Ferry Boat Company leaves two other unconnected companies running pleasure trips in the city docks – Number Seven Boat Trips and Bristol Packet Boat Trips.
The boats up for sale are currently moored at The Grove, between the Arnolfini and Redcliffe Bridge. Prospective buyers are being invited to view them by appointment.
They are being sold on the instructions of Harrisons Business Recovery Liquidator.
Visit www.amsauctions.co.uk for more details.
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