Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2020

9 4 INTERV IEW A family affair Sandra Speares asks Kathryn Scollie about Pentland Ferries’ essential service, which links St Margaret’s Hope in Orkney with Gills Bay in Caithness, Scotland F or Scottish operator Pentland Ferries, the ferry business has always been a family business. “In 2021, Pentland Ferries will celebrate 20 years of operation and we’re proud of how the business has grown during that time,” says Kathryn Scollie, the company’s director. “Since my parents, Andrew and Susan, established the company in 2001, the entire family has joined the team at one stage or another. Now, my mother is head of finance, my brother David works shoreside, and both my sister Jenni and David’s fiancée Louise work in administration. The only exception is my sister Laura, who lives in Edinburgh but remains very close to the business. “It’s very satisfying to know that we’ve all played a part in getting to where we are today. We’ve had our ups and downs but because it’s a family business, we’re committed to it and making it successful is at the heart of everything we do. When times are tough, we gather strength from each other and knock backs just give us a greater determination to succeed.” This mindset has been particularly beneficial in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced Pentland Ferries to adapt to completely new operating conditions. “We’ve continued to sail throughout lockdown, carrying freight, key workers and those making essential journeys,” says Scollie. “The journey “When times are tough, we gather strength from each other”