By stewartb

You may recall from TuS on May 22, 2025 this headline: ‘Stricken!! The Herald and local haulier conspire to hide the deep satisfaction of Islay folk with their ferry service.’ The blog post included this extract from a news article in The Herald:

‘A new “fiasco” caused by a ferry breakdown has sparked a row over the delivery of vital supplies on an island on the eve of its world famous whisky festival. The key ferry for Islay, MV Finlaggan has been sidelined as problems have emerged during routine planned maintenance of main engines during an annual overhaul period.’ (my emphasis)

The Herald claimed that ‘Island’s whisky festival facing disruption due to ferry repairs’. It quoted the owner of ‘key island haulier B Mundell Ltd’: ‘Matthew Mundell, one of two brothers who run the family business responsible for what it says is the lion’s share of the freight on and off the island, said: “As soon as we hit points like that, where they can’t get drugs, they can’t get business-critical supplies to keep the things flowing… the island is not able to get basic resident needs.”

‘He says the failure to bring MV Finlaggan back online means the existing lower-capacity ferries are “massively oversubscribed” and it was indicative of a wider problem with Islay ferries that has been running for five years.’

So for perspective, what happened to the Islay Whisky Festival, to Fèis Ìle 2025?

From the Oban Times (June 5, 2025): ‘Whisky lovers’ fest’: ‘The Isle of Islay once again played host to thousands of whisky lovers and cultural enthusiasts from around the world as Fèis Ìle 2025 unfolded in grand style from May 23 to May 31.’

And: ‘Festival chairperson Florence Grey said: “It’s been a fabulous festival! We’d like to say a massive thank you to all of our visitors, the distilleries, the musicians and all of our volunteers – Islay has put on a brilliant show.“

From the Campbeltown Courier (Jun 6, 2025): ‘Festival fans flock to the Isle of Islay’.

Festival chairperson Florence Grey is quoted:: “It’s been a fabulous festival, everyone’s been so happy! We’d like to say a massive thank you to all of our visitors, the distilleries, the musicians and all of our volunteers – Islay has put on a brilliant show. Roll on next year!”

The Courier article ends with this: ‘Fèis Ìle 2025 will be remembered as one of the festival’s most successful years to date. Organisers and distilleries are already turning their attention to 2026, which will mark the 40th anniversary of the modern Fèis Ìle – promising to be a historic celebration.’

Any coverage of this ‘most successful years to date’ festival in The Herald? And is this a surprise outcome notwithstanding The Herald’s ‘fiasco’ and Mr Mundell’s ‘wider problems with Islay ferries that has been running for five years’? Candidly, no!

According to Companies House, B Mundell Ltd appears to be part of B Mundell Holdings Ltd. a private limited company incorporated in 2020. The ‘Group of Companies Accounts made up to 31 May 2023’ – the latest available online from Companies House – includes a ‘Strategic Report’. Signed off on 31 May 2024 it has this: ‘Principle risks and uncertainties: The directors consider the results for the year to be satisfactory and are not aware of any major risks or uncertainties which could affect the continued growth of the group.’ (my emphasis)

Check back on Mundell’s ‘Strategic Reports’ in annual reports (see Companies House) from previous years and you will find the same statement: ‘not aware of any major risks or uncertainties which could affect the continued growth of the group’. What happened to longstanding ferry problems for the haulier that is ‘responsible for what it says is the lion’s share of the freight on and off the island’?

What’s going on and, importantly why?