By Stephen Breen Bermuda's hotelier of the year and other guest house owners are organising a petition to protest cuts in the Paget to Hamilton ferry service.

They say the axing of most of the mid-evening services across the harbour will mean guests having to take taxis if they want to go to the city at night.

The hoteliers are baffled as to why the services have been cut in the evening during the summer when the Island is full of tourists but will be restored during the winter.

Hotelier of the year, Hazel Lowe of Salt Kettle Guest House in Paget, and the owners of nearby properties the Newstead Hotel, Greenbank Guest House, and Granaway Guest House are organising a petition to the Departments of Tourism and Transport.

Mrs. Lowe said visitors to the guest houses did not have dinner facilities so they often travelled to Hamilton to eat at night.

Government announced a cutback in the Paget/Warwick route because it needs an annual subsidy of more than $1 million following a drop in demand due to the closure of the Belmont, Glencoe and Palm Reefs Hotels.

The timetable, which came into operation on Monday, has cancelled the 7.46 p.m., 8.44 p.m., and 9.06 p.m. ferries to Hamilton.

The two latest ferries back are at 6.55 p.m. and 9.45 p.m.

Mrs. Lowe said the timetable changes were a major blow because guests enjoyed the experience of using the ferries and it saved them a $30 round trip in a taxi each night.

She told The Royal Gazette : "I am horrified by this. My guests like to have a cocktail in the evening then get the 7.19 p.m. or the 7.46 p.m. into Hamilton to eat then the 11 p.m. back.

"Now they have to come back from Hamilton at 9 p.m. These were the most used ferries in the evening that they have obliterated.

"They used them for Harbour Nights and concerts in City Hall.

"In Hamilton they would buy prints, eat out and spend money but now that's all gone.

"My guests are going to be upset and horrified by this because the type of clients we have go to concerts and exhibitions and because they are slightly older they don't use mopeds because the roads are dangerous.

"Tourism keep sending us stuff for Harbour Nights and other events but what is the point if it is more difficult to get there?'' Mrs. Lowe said timetable copies had run out and photocopies were being handed out at the terminals. The services that are cut for the summer are highlighted, which does not show up in the photocopies, giving the impression they are still running in the summer.

Greenbank Guest House owner Michael Ashton said the biggest complaints from visitors were the cost of air fares, food and cabs.

"It is not the way to bolster tourism by cutting back on services that they need,'' he said.

"The taxi business is in disarray and my clients wait an hour for a cab because there are not enough on the road.

His brother, who runs the Granaway Guest House, added: "If they withdraw public transportation it forces more use of taxis, which increases cost.

"It's not that the bottom will fall out of the business, but it is a great opportunity to get out on the water and commute by ferry that is something that many visitors have never had before and the experience sticks in their mind.'' He said guests paid 7.25 per cent occupancy tax to Government and some of that could be put back in to the ferry service.

The owners added that bus and ferry passes, which had been popular with guests, were of no use now because the ferry could not be used at night.

Transport Minister Ewart Brown was off the Island yesterday and could not be contacted for comment.

`I am horrified by this': Hotelier of the year Hazel Lowe, who owns Salt Kettle Guest House.