WEYMOUTH will say goodbye to Condor Ferries today.

The last cross-channel service from Weymouth's port departs at 1.30pm.

Condor's new larger high-speed ferry, the Austal 102, will sail from Poole after Weymouth’s Port was deemed too small and requiring millions of pounds worth of investment to make it viable.

As reported in the Echo, a delegation from Weymouth including South Dorset MP Richard Drax, failed to secure funding from the government to help repair Berth 3.

The loss will see a drop in harbour income of £750,000 per year. The economy will be hit further as local services benefit from Condor including accommodation providers.

Condor was Weymouth port's biggest customer. It was estimated that it contributed more than £7m to the local economy each year.

But there may be some good news in the pipeline as a high speed ferry service to France could be running from Weymouth next year, creating 90 new jobs.

As reported in the Echo last month, HighSpeedFerries.come is in discussion with the borough council about an operation.

HighSpeedFerries plans to run two or three regular sailings a day in season from Weymouth to Cherbourg. The journey would take less than two hours port-to-port.

At the time of the plans being revealed, director of corporate services Jonathan Packer said: "Our proposal would create 90 jobs and a considerable financial contribution including incoming tourism to the local economy as well as retaining Weymouth’s ferry terminal.

“Weymouth is absolutely ideal following the upgrading of the ferry terminal in 2013 and it’s right that the town should see a return on the investment in improving those facilities,” Mr Packer added.

“This attractive new service would serve the wider western region market and bring new visitors to South Dorset. It would be the shortest crossing ever on the Western Channel – the terminal-to-terminal time will be comparable with Dover-Calais and there would be a huge road distance and time saving for travellers between the West of England and Western France, compared with routing via Calais.”

At the weekend Mr Packer said talks with the borough council and relevant parties are still ongoing.