CONDOR Ferries has cancelled its high speed sailings between Poole and the Channel Islands for four weeks from November 6.

The company blames falling demand as isolation requirements are increased in both Guernsey and Jersey.

It has described the decision as "a further blow" just two months after it was forced to make 200 people redundant.

But it says it will operate a timetable in December to ensure university students can get home and people can travel at Christmas.

Chief executive Paul Luxon said Condor could not afford to run boats at a fraction of normal capacity, and tickets would be transferred to the conventional service which runs to and from Portsmouth.

In August, the ferry company announced 200 people had been made redundant at Condor Ferries as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which had resulted in a 75 per cent fall in income.

Mr Luxon said the Poole to Channel Islands services would be cancelled between November 6 and December 3.

He added: "When the States of Guernsey reclassified the southern regions of the UK to Group A last week, we saw a significant increase in cancellations and a similar reduction in new bookings. The pandemic is also clearly impacting on passenger confidence generally as we enter the quieter Autumn and Winter periods.

"We have therefore reviewed our schedule, and sadly are left with no option but to cancel all Poole services in November as we are simply not able to run ships at a fraction of normal capacity.

"We are mindful that the festive period is not long away so we will be running a service from Poole on December 4 to ensure students at UK universities and college can return home to their families at such an important time.

"Our schedule will also support Islanders who are booked to travel over Christmas and New Year."

Passengers travelling between the UK and the Islands from Friday November 6 to Thursday December 3 are being switched to the Commodore Clipper service from Portsmouth.

Mr Luxon added: "We remain committed to bringing students home so they can be with their families at such an important time and also to supporting Islanders who are booked to travel away over Christmas and New Year."