Overview
- The Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company said it found no viable funding, grants, investors or operators after an 18-month search.
- The passenger link between Hythe and Southampton has been shut since August 2024 because damage was found to the pontoon and its supporting structure.
- Corporate restructure firm Leonard Curtis has been appointed to manage the liquidation and to support staff through the process.
- Red Funnel bought the ferry firm in 2023 then decided the Hythe route was not a fit, with Red Funnel later sold to Njord Partners in December 2025.
- Local councillors voiced disappointment and blamed Red Funnel, and they urged a new owner to restore the link that has served residents for centuries.