'Use it or lose it' - Food, Fish & Music Festival attendees urged to ride Fleetwood Ferry to save service
Use it or lose it.
People attending Fleetwood’s Food, Fish & Music Festival this weekend are being encouraged to “use it or lose it” and take the Fleetwood Ferry amid continuing doubts over the service’s long-term future.
Fleetwood is preparing to host its first-ever Food, Fish & Music Festival, with three days of free entertainment, live music, family activities and food celebrating the town’s heritage. Running from Friday 14 August to Sunday 16 August, the festival will take place around Fleetwood Market and across the town centre, with organisers promising something for all ages.
Those heading to the event are being encouraged to make use of the Fleetwood-Knott End ferry, with concerns remaining about the future of the much-loved service. A Facebook event has been set up including the line: “During this event we are encouraging people to come and ride the Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry after the service was nearly cancelled in April.”
In April earlier this year, the future of the ferry was cast into doubt before a last-minute reprieve after Wyre Council announced that an agreement had been reached to keep the ferry running. The intervention secured the future of the Fleetwood-Knott End ferry, albeit on a temporary basis, after Wyre Council confirmed a way forward had been agreed to keep the service running.
The announcement followed days of uncertainty after it was revealed the ferry could cease operating, sparking concern among residents, businesses and local politicians. Wyre Council said it held “constructive discussions” with operators, resulting in an agreed approach that will allow the service to continue in the short term.
The authority said it had been working intensively to explore “all realistic and deliverable options” to protect what it described as a vital service for local communities. The council said the agreement provides “short-term certainty” while further work continues to find a long-term solution.
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It added that the ferry remains an important transport link as well as a valued part of the area’s identity. The latest update came after Wyre Council previously said the service was at risk of ending due to a lack of viable bids from operators when the current contract expires.
The announcement prompted a strong reaction from residents and campaigners, as well as calls from MPs to secure the future of the much-loved route. Wyre Council said it will continue working with partners on a sustainable long-term arrangement, with further updates expected as discussions progress.
With Fleetwood set for a busy festival weekend, visitors are now being urged to support the ferry service and make use of the route while enjoying the town’s celebrations.