All aboard the 'Flying Cat' for fast Devon link.Byline: Robin Turner A BUSINESSMAN from Llantrisant who once advised the ruler of Dubai on where to spendhiscashisheadinganew fast ferry link between South Wales South Wales south n → sud m du Pays de Galles and Devon. Starting in spring between Swansea and Ilfracombe, the service is being run by new Wales-based firm Severn Link whose managing director is expert accountant Geoff Metcalf Geoff Metcalf was a nationally syndicated radio talk show host based in Washington, D.C. He is Editor of CalNews.com. Metcalf is a ninth generation commissioned officer in the U.S Armed Services and a former Green Beret. . It is anticipated the 34-knot "Flying Cat" service will bring hundreds of new jobs and millions of pounds of fresh spending to SouthWales. And if the new service is a success more ferries including Penarth and Minehead and possibly Porthcawl and Ilfracombe are expected to be established. The service will cut the travelling time between South Wales and Devon to just 50 minutes and one-way trips will cost pounds 22. The Severn Link service will be the first time the two shores of the Bristol Channel Bristol Channel, inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, c.85 mi (140 km) long and from 5 to 50 mi (8.1–80 km) wide, stretching westward from the mouth of the River Severn and separating Wales from SW England. have been linked by a modern fast ferry. Atotal of50full-time jobs are being created initially by Severn Link which expects to have a turnover of pounds 8m in five years. But the company expects more jobs to follow and also predicts that hundreds of jobs will be created in tourism. Severn Link chairman Chris Marrow appointed Mr Metcalf as his managing director. The Llantristant-born accountant onceadvised the ruler ofDubai Sheikh sheikh or shaykh Among Arabic-speaking tribes, especially Bedouin, the male head of the family, as well as of each successively larger social unit making up the tribal structure. The sheikh is generally assisted by an informal tribal council of male elders. Mohomad bin Rashid al Maktoum Al Maktoum (المكتوم in Arabic) is the family name of the ruling dynasty of the emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Al Maktoum family is a branch of the Bani Yas tribe (a lineage the family shares with the Al Nahyan dynasty of Abu . Working for the Sheikh during the 1980s Mr Metcalf commissioned the world's biggest dry dock in the oil-rich state. He was educated at Llandaff Cathedral Llandaff Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Llandaff (of the Church in Wales), situated in the suburb of Llandaff in the city of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. It is dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and also to three Welsh saints: Dyfrig, Teilo and Euddogwy. School in Cardiff and Dean Close, Cheltenham, before training to become a chartered accountant char·tered accountant n. Chiefly British Abbr. CA A member of one of the institutes of accountants granted a royal charter. with Deloittes of London. Also on the Severn Link board is Brian Morgan
Brian Morgan is an English professional snooker player and coach [1]. He is aformer World Under-21 champion, and was among the top 32 players in the professional world rankings for , Professor of Entrepreneurship at Uwic's Business School in Cardiff. Professor Morgan, a founder director of the Welsh Whisky Company and who is on the board of the firm which owns BreconCarregWater, is non-executive director of the new ferry business. The 360-passenger catamarans willbefour times faster than a car and six times faster than rail services between the Severn coasts. Mr Marrow said: "To my knowledge, there is no other comparable stretch of water in the world, linking similarly populated areas, which doesn't have a heavily utilised ferry service. "Market research has shown there is a huge demand for this ferry route within SouthWales." CAPTION(S): A Severn Link FlyingCat and, inset, Severn Link Ferries managing director Geoff Metcalf |
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