Sailors stranded as security locks down jetty

At least one landmark in Enniskillen can already claim a tourism spin-off from the G8 summit.

Two German men crossed the well-worn tiles of Blakes of the Hollow, a pub tucked into a dip in the town’s main street on Sunday afternoon.

As they have done every June for years, the mariners booked two weeks’ boating on Lough Erne.

And, as is their routine, they pulled into Co Fermanagh’s island town for a day, berthed up and headed to their familiar watering hole, aiming to set off again shortly for the lakes.

“It was only after a few drinks they found out a security zone had been thrown up around their jetty,” said a local.

“They didn’t even know the G8 was on.

“They were basically stranded in Enniskillen for the next few days. But they didn’t seem to mind too much. They were in good spirits and have been in the pub for some time since.”

As the political masters of the universe boarded their flights out of the North, there were few overseas visitors to be seen.

Marinas and harbours normally teeming with tourists were unseasonably quiet.

Visitor numbers at Castle Coole were down by about 80% over the weekend.

“We think a lot of people have been staying away while the G8 is going on,” said Justin Thompson, duty manager at the mansion.

“If you listened to the news, you would think Enniskillen was locked down.”

Nonetheless, Mr Thompson expects business to rebound by next weekend, but was unsure if the G8 would bring more business.

There was little activity at Enniskillen Castle either.

Museum manager Sarah McHugh said things were quiet but that the G8 was a wonderful opportunity to show off the town.

Rodney Watson, owner of the Killyhevlin Hotel, said not enough was being done to secure a legacy from the event.

“There must be much more aggressive marketing of Fermanagh in the UK, and especially in Scotland, which is not marketed strongly enough in my view,” he said.

“The tourist board’s hands are tied because they don’t have the remit to properly sell Northern Ireland outside of Ireland.”