as a shame by many as another Bermuda landmark disappears.

The hotel building is not especially historic, having been built some 70 years ago. And aside from the deterioration which has taken place since its construction, it is difficult to make a modern, functioning hotel property for the quite different needs of today's guests out for a building designed .

Nonetheless, it is a landmark and its exterior is a striking example of the days when architecture for large buildings meant more than glass and steel.

In its own way, it is also a symbol of what was so right, and later so wrong with Bermuda tourism.

Stately and grand, and a hugely popular resort, it could not keep up with the times and the last two operators had difficulty making ends meet -- to the extent that Marriott eventually threw up its hands and voted on Bermuda tourism with its feet.

If the building cannot be restored and converted into a property which can cater to the modern visitor then it may be that this graceful old lady will have to follow the St. George's Hotel, the Inverurie, the Coral Island Club and all the other symbols of tourism's golden days into the history books.

Missed visits Pity poor St. George's.

For years, the town saw its hopes for economic success resting with regular cruise ships visiting.

That has now occurred with successive governments' energetic championing of the two-(and now three-) port concept and the use of ships as a dedicated visitor.

Nonetheless, the size of Town Cut and manoeuvring problems within the harbour itself mean that larger cruise ships have had to cut short or skip visits to the town altogether in the event of bad weather.

That means lost revenue for the town, whose merchants claim that many visitors keep a firm grip on their wallets until they reach Hamilton anyway.

Residents have admitted a sneaking suspicion that the ship owners look for the slightest breath of wind to skip the call.

This is unfair. St. George's Harbour is small and the ship's captain must put the safety of the passengers, the ship and other vessels first.

Those who remember the Horizon being pushed to one side of the harbour by high winds some years ago and eventually striking a yacht will know why captains must be careful. That incident caused substantial damage and it was a matter of sheer luck that no-one was hurt.

If St. George's wants more consistent calls, it will have to either undetake the massive expense of widening Town Cut and balance that against the potential benefits of increased spending in the town, or work with the cruise lines -- which this week moored Zenith in Murray's Anchorage and ferried passengers ashore by tender -- to make a difficult situation more palatable.

There are no easy or cheap answers to the problem, and St. George's must remember that.