Is it the end of an era or just an idea that has gone public? News that the Sooke Harbour House is up for sale may surprise some, others not so much. “Testing the market” is how Sinclair Philip put it. Does that mean that if someone is interested they will sell, and if no one is they will keep going? I suppose so.
With the world economic climate slow to recover, it affects businesses such as tourism first. The American visitors who frequented the Sooke Harbour House are fewer and further in between and the Europeans are even more scarce. People are just sticking closer to home and perhaps those halcyon days are over — at least for awhile.
The economic slow down is affecting other hotels as well. One has to wonder how the much-larger Prestige is faring these days. Other businesses in Sooke are closing which is a real shame as we need to have as many services as we can out here in what is considered a bedroom community. If we want to attract people to move out here we need to provide them with what they need and we need to create an attractive community.
Everyone has their opinions on the Sooke Harbour House but a few things are certain and true. They were the forerunners of many good causes, like the Slow Food Movement, they support the arts and they are community builders. If the place sells, let’s hope that the new owners will be as community-minded as the Philips have been.