Wightlink welcomes its first customers at its new terminal building in Portsmouth
8th January 2018
Portsmouth City Council leader Councillor Donna Jones joined Wightlink Chief Executive Keith Greenfield today in cutting a ribbon to mark the official opening of the ferry company’s new customer building at its car ferry terminal in the city.
The three storey centre, housing Costa Coffee and other refreshments sourced from the Isle of Wight with a ticket office and toilet facilities, is part of Wightlink’s £45million investment in the Portsmouth-Fishbourne route. A new hybrid energy ship is also under construction and will come into service later in the year.
“I am delighted to join Keith to open this impressive new terminal building,” says Councillor Jones. “I have followed Wightlink’s ambitious project with interest from the outset and applaud this major investment in Portsmouth and its routes to the Isle of Wight.”
The first customer in the new building this morning was Wayne Lightbown, the owner of haulage company MP Lightbown, which has bases in Eastleigh in Hampshire and Merstone on the Isle of Wight. The company was started 40 years ago by his father Mike to carry livestock on and off the Island. It now ships sweetcorn and asparagus to the mainland, as well as other products.
“I was delighted to be the first customer to enjoy a latté from Costa in Wightlink’s new customer building and wish you every success with your project,” says Wayne.
Historian Dr Graham Heaney, who works at the University of Portsmouth, has been researching the site’s rich heritage and sourcing maps and images for displays to give today’s travellers an idea of what the busy ferry port looked like in past centuries.
Wightlink Chief Executive Keith Greenfield is looking to the future: “Our new customer building is the latest milestone in our investment in our key cross-Solent route. This summer we will welcome our new hybrid energy flagship Victoria of Wight which will be the most environmentally friendly on the Solent.”
Picture caption: Councillor Donna Jones and Wightlink Chief Executive Keith Greenfield open Wightlink’s new customer building in Portsmouth
For more information, please contact Karen Woods on 07775 694266 or [email protected].