And the only hope for a turn-around is the construction of a $400,000 dock to bring ferry service to Somerset Village.

In a letter to The Royal Gazette , Robin Joell, the Chairman of an investment group working with Government, called for a meeting with officials to reach a decision on the matter.

Mr. Joell said seven Somerset businesses had shut down since the development of Dockyard four years ago.

"The Perch, Village Inn, Ye Old Market, The Village Corner, Millies and P.W.'s with the latest being one of Bermuda's oldest businesses and the pride of Somerset, The Loyalty Inn,'' he wrote. "The Loyalty Inn had operated in Somerset continuously for 40 years and has been one of the main providers for dining and entertaining for both locals and tourists.'' Mr. Joell said the closures could have been avoided if Government had heeded their warnings not to turn a blind eye, for the last seven years, to the completion of the Somerset Village portion of the West End Development plan.

"The Somerset businessmen have done their part by investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in building renovations and setting up businesses in readiness,'' he wrote.

Mr. Joell said the Government has rejected the dock due to a lack of funds.

"This is sad in light of the many capital projects undertaken by Government costing millions of dollars over this time period,'' he wrote.

He added that even the main objectors to the new dock had "reversed'' their decision or had their objections addressed long ago by the Planning Department.

"The long awaited ferry service being moved to Somerset Village is the key to the development of Somerset as it provides a central connecting point for the ferries as well as many other boats that travel to the west end daily,'' Mr.

Joell argued. "With eight businesses already lost, any further delay to the construction of the ferry dock would cause an inevitable shut-down to the balance of the businesses here as there is a threat by the constant expansion at Dockyard.''