JennyMorgan

Landlords and managers take note... the idea is to keep us IN the bar! ​Exactly! I have watched in amazement as folk walked out, having expressed their opinion, yet the management have not intervened by at least turning the volume down, despite the emptying bar. Sorry lads, you are costing me money!!

Marshman, I could take the above comments, almost word for word, and apply them to at least one person in a position of power and control over the Broads. All I'm asking for is a meaningful acceptance and recognition by the BA that it is accountable to both its customers and those who live here. After all, it is OUR Broads.

I well remember sitting next to an elected member of Norwich District Council who was something of a motor-mouth, nice person, good company but, sadly, short on Broads knowledge. Elected to the NDC but not elected to the Authority. I'm not sure that elections in the general sense can work on the Broads but I do recognise that the present system is not working as well as it might. I know that I am not alone in this. Whilst I recognise that there are national interests in the Broads I do think a level of knowledge and experience should be required. For some distant members their only contact with the Broads was, in my time, via clearly biassed officer reports. I don't remember where I picked up the following paragraph, and I don't think it related to the Broads as such but local government in general, but I do think it relevant: No more senseless regulations. No more cherry picking reports and advice to manipulate valueless consultations. No more one size fits all regulations that serve no real purpose. It is the second line that rings really true for me, and elections, unless for a CEO, will not correct the abhorant, blatant control exercised over committees. CEO wins the Broads Forum over, CEO then tell the Navigation Committee that the Broads Forum supports the proposal, they then support it and then the Broads Authority itself is persuaded that since everyone else supports it they should do too, and they do. True?

Got it, North Walsham Canal! https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=off&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1523&bih=815&oq=51290100330.jpg+&gs_l=img.12...5505.12235.0.15452.3.3.0.0.0.0.221.436.1j1j1.3.0.msedr...0...1ac.1j2.60.img..3.0.0.M_HpCdAMq7E&q=51290100330.jpg#imgdii=_&imgrc=eEELrtYj3fx5MM%253A%3BUpq7RN0YkXykuM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.northwalshamarchive.co.uk%252F1%252Farchive%252F770px%252F51290100330.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.northwalshamarchive.co.uk%252Farchive_item.aspx%253Fentry_id%253D134%3B780%3B581 Worth having a poke around whilst you are there, for example: http://www.northwalshamarchive.co.uk/archive_item.aspx?entry_id=200

Steerage requires a degree of speed and commitment, fact of life, despite the armchair experts on YBW. The level of comment on YBW sometimes amazes me. I don't know where the bridge is in the wherry snap, where is Carol when we need her?! No question that it is a Wherry although it might be off the Broads, on the Blyth perhaps, up towards Halesworth, they did go there. Whatever, if a Wherry can pass under Potter then why not under this unknown bridge?

Agree with Polly ref live bands but please, let it be a good pub band. Was at Surlingham last year, no, year before now, really not a good band. We tarried a while whilst others finished their pints and went, and I really didn't blame them. However, there are some darn good bands on the Norfolk/Suffolk pub circuit, just not conducive to those of you wanting an intimate chat though.

Rumour has it that he already has! Mind you, he may not remember doing it!

It's only the old ones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mangled zimmer frames litter Norwich's Riverside following a night out by a visiting group of aged ladies from Essex to the nightclub capital of Norfolk. Their boat is being salvaged next week. Seven police constables are subsequently taking early retirement for stress related disorders.

I note amongst the subscribers to the emerging facebook group a very healthy number of influential NSBA people.

Not likley to be many all lads groups amongst the Emmerdale devotees. Perhaps Clive should advertise when Jeremy Kyle is on!

Mark, it is widely recognised that the present system is flawed. Indeed local MP's have been involved but a workable alternative has not yet been developed, Personally I was a DEFRA appointee, I got in via the backdoor! It was made clear to me that I did not represent angling clubs, despite being proposed by angling clubs, I was there as an individual to pass judgement on the evidence presented by 'officer's reports', reports that are closely controlled from above. I was not able to go back to my club and ask for a club decision. To me that was fundamentally wrong, I represented angling interests but I was expected to support the Authority. Indeed I was condemned by some for not providing unwavering support. Strowager, no argument about the TPA. If nothing else it did provide an overdue, upward jolt to the NSBA so it's existence was not all a disaster. I'm afraid that its originator's commercial intentions were not immediately apparent to the founder membership. I rather regret, in hindsight, being involved but there we go. It could have worked. No doubt that the NSBA is no longer the poodle that it was, a positive from the short lived TPA

Paul, in principle I agree with you but all is not bad. I am aware of the profits of some of the larger yards and thankfully some are pumping reinvestment back into their business. I'm sure that Clive at Richardsons won't take offence when I say that a few years ago his yard was not what it is today. I visited it last spring, wow, what a change and all for the better. The same can be said of the Waveney River Centre at Burgh St Peters and Herbert Woods at Potter. Undoubtedly things have picked up but there is a large 'but' in this, BUT the general infrastructure is not keeping up. The quality of boats is on the up, but I doubt very much that pubs etc are generally meeting expectations of those hiring these soopa-doopa, plush boats. There are success stories along the river bank but with unrealistic pub-co's I'm afraid we are loosing pubs. We are loosing a few moorings but by and large the Broads Authority is doing a good job in providing a network of good quality 24hr moorings. However some of these really do not meet the aspirations of those on 45' cruisers, arguably some of the new boats are outgrowing the provision of moorings. What is certainly lacking is the provision of shore power at 24hr moorings but is this the fault of those providing the moorings or the fault of those providing the boats? Administration, well, this is one thing that I do have strong feelings about. It is required but some fifty percent of our toll goes to paying for it. Bearing in mind that navigation is one third of the BA's responsibility it is debatable whether the tolls should pay any more than 30% towards administration. As for that administration this includes a grossly inefficient, poor value planning department. Why, for heaven's sakes, why should toll money support a planning department for example? Facilities are being restricted but this is a tough one to get right. I have to say that planning on the Broads is restrictive and probably excessively so but do we really want commerce to have a free hand? For example developers at St Olaves want to increase their moorings by providing floating pontoons in the river. In a nutshell we mustn't spoil what people come here to enjoy. Getting the balance right is no easy job but I do accept that 'authority' needs to live in the 21st century rather than the 19th! At the same time those of us who live here need to be remembered, it is our home. We shall still be here long after the career public servants that inhabit Yare House have passed on. I have watched the Broads for over sixty years, believe me, the Broads is picking up. Granted that there are casualties but I suspect that some of these are down to the demands of the 'city' rather than a lack of pick up on the Broads.

Thanks, Howard, pretty much as I'd guessed, great shame. With the Broads picking up it would be a pity to lose either.

http://www.daltonsbusiness.com/public-houses-for-sale/closed-broadland-pub-and-restaurant-fronti-norfolk-uk/362695 I note that the Lord Nelson at Reedham is still up for grabs. I also note that in the sales guff the place needs a complete refurbishment. Well, if that's the case then prospective customers best get a move on! I know that it is common practice to leave such things to the last moment but May is only five months away. I say this with a tad of trepidation as I'd hate to think we might loose yet another Broads pub. Whilst on the subject anyone know if anything is happening to the pub at Berney?

Mark, unless things have changed applicants for the Navigation Committee have to be 'approved'. In the past some very suitable folk have been overlooked in favour of some who really shouldn't be there. When I sat on the nav com a newcomer, sat next to me, leaned over and asked me 'what are the Broads?' Yes, absolutely true.

In contralto!

Oh yes, I was against the 'Pegasus' development, especially when earlier plans exceeded well over 100 apartments, including some built standing in the water! Anyway, things might be changing there, if the grapevine is to be believed. During the summer consent was granted for a waterside marquee at the Ivy Farm at Oulton Broad. There were wide ranging objections from those of us who live besides the water and had to endure the noise & disturbance. End result, by developer and objectors working together, support was given for a purpose built, sound proofed, permanant replacement to the marquee. Together we now have something very worthwhile for Oulton Broad being built, and guess what, we even exchanged Christmas cards! Working with the community, got to be the way forward.

Grace, as Griff says, ask. Be warned though, he never stops! Here he is, four o'clock in the morning, recognize the hat! Just for the record, he has a heart of gold.

Grace, just for you! There's the man, deep in thought, probably dreaming up his next terrible joke!!

Marshman, we both know that in many respects that the BA do an excellent job but there is an underlying culture within Yare House, and an underlying distrust along the river bank that can't be ignored. You are out on the water, surely you encounter it? For example I had a contractor round mine this morning to quote for some work. Bloke works all over the Broads, meets all sorts and hears it all. Without any prompting on my part he aired his views on the Authority, citing numerous examples of what can only be described as incompetence, stating that if his four year old son was to do some of the things that he'd encountered then he'd tear his own hair out. He went on to say that for whatever reason the Authority appeared determined to return the Broads to an age gone by and in doing so the Broads was stagnating. You know what, I think that he is right, Oulton Broad certainly has a planning blight over it. He then asked me if I thought the Authority was fit for purpose? You'll have to guess my response! Anyway, point being do you really think that all this frustration and discontent should be glossed over and opinions suppressed? Clearly something is not right within Yare House.

Lots of repeats but worth a watch. http://www.uk-boating.tv/

Granted, Strowager, but I live in hope! Might go for a toddle around the Yacht Station tomorrow. Unfortunately I didn't have a video camera with me today but I intend to carry one more regularly from now on.

Just seen the ad on the box. Well done Richardsons, Hoseasons please note!

To the sport cruiser owner that went down Oulton Broad today, just off the plane, your wash was not appreciated. Illegal wash, illegal speed and very annoying, most notably to the fisherman in a dory that you passed. Next time I will make a complaint, with photo's, to the BA.