02/07

In 1981 Jupiter was caught up in a political storm. The new Conservative government had no natural love for State-subsidised transport. On that day the Secretary of State for Scotland, George Younger, decreed that henceforth he was withdrawing all subsidy for Caledonian MacBrayne's Gourock-Dunoon crossing and, instead, the Scottish Office would lend a helping hand to Western Ferries (properly known as Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd.) They would be granted £300,000 to obtain an additional car and passenger ferry if, in addition, the private concern would deploy their much-publicised passenger-only hydrofoil Highland Seabird for direct Gourock-Dunoon commuter runs. After two weeks recovering from this shock, Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd had no portion but to announce their full withdrawal of a Gourock-Dunoon ferry service from 17th October 1981.