Yards Closing?

[JennyMorgan]

I notice on dear ol' FaceBook that a yard at Reedham and one other, location unknown, are closing at the end of the 2016 season. How long before we are down to just the big four or five?

[Chelsea14Ian]

I have feared for some time,that there as you have pointed out Peter.that indeed the number of yards will decrease.

I feel that it will be a great  lose if to many yards close

[JennyMorgan]

With an ever decreasing list of hire-yards we will obviously loose moorings for the hire-fleets. The mooring and service network that was once provided by the hire-yards is diminishing fast, in some areas, such as Oulton Broad, to absolutely nil. 

[MBA Marine]

It's a changing world, if the small yards are to stay solvent they need to up their game, phrases such as 'it's always been like that' and 'that's how I have always done it' need to be stamped out.  People expect more for less now so the operator has to find ways to achieve this by streamlining and trimming the fat off the edges.

I have bumbled around many yards subcontract over the last 10 years, some with hire fleet/day hire and some not, the one common theme through all of the ones that struggle (some are now gone) is that they work in chaos with no order, little stocks and what stocks they have cannot be found as they were never assigned a home, yards that work this way hermoage labour costs.

I hope those that read this don't think it's directed solely at them because as said this I have witnessed at many different places.

The larger yards have systems implemented and a management hierarchy that makes sure staff know their roles, the task they need to complete and when. 

[JanetAnne]

It's implications may be far worse than we realise. If there are less hire boats there is 'less demand' for navigation and that will easily be argued to providing less moorings and so on.

I am aware of one yard that is currently facing huge rent rises, probably enough to tip the balance for them. 

And, in the meantime, the Thurne Lion is proposed to be closed down and sold off at the end of the season. Now there is another facility and, more importantly, moorings to be lost.

We need hirers and hire boats desperately. The Broads will die without them

 

[Vaughan]

Nothing more for me to say - I have been banging on about this ever since I joined the forum!

[JennyMorgan]

I'm not sure that I'll shed any tears over Sid Fillery leaving the Lion, however I do hope that it will remain as a pub. Indeed I would welcome a new landlord, be able to put the Lion back on my list of pubs to visit.

It's not so much the issue of less hireboats, in my opinion, but rather the one of less yards. It's all very well Clive having 700 plus boats at Stalham, for example, more a case of where will they moor? The old system of being able to moor at other Blakes or Hoseasons yards may well still exist, but where are those yards now? Centralisation of the big fleets makes good business sense, but it leaves far fewer moorings for their customers. I know that Clive has issues with the hire-boat toll multiplier but there is a strong case for an increase, in my opinion, to provide sufficient moorings for the hire fleets.

[JanetAnne]

I think I would be more concerned about available pump out facilities. We all have mud plugs and Rhonda anchors but when the tank is full.....?

[JennyMorgan]

Just now, JanetAnne said:

I think I would be more concerned about available pump out facilities. We all have mud plugs and Rhonda anchors but when the tank is full.....?

Pull the plug out?

Gone are the days when there was a handy pump-out facility every few miles. The lonely one on Oulton Broad might be open, if you are lucky. With a yard going at Reedham I wonder what will happen there next year? Down South there is Maffets, Brooms and the Waveney River Centre for sure, hopefully Freedom will continue, but off the top of my head I don't know of any others where hire boats can go. 

[JanetAnne]

 

Norwich Yacht station do a very good pump out service as well but yes, it's all getting very limited.

 

[JennyMorgan]

19 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

Nothing more for me to say - I have been banging on about this ever since I joined the forum!

It would be interesting to know what the toll receipts are this year. I do know that there are scores of empty mooring buoys on Oulton, once there was a long waiting list. I also see, as I motor around, numerous small cruisers sat in people's driveways and gardens, all with a fair coating of algae and with increasingly out of date toll discs on them. As I pootle about the Broad I see more and more boats that never, ever leave their moorings. A friend of mine bought an extremely nice old 'woody' from Wayford, for under half the asking price. bargains are out there. I know of several boats that have moved from Oulton Broad to Lowestoft Harbour, fed up with the high tolls now being charged. Are things nice and rosy on the Broads?

[trambo]

At Loddon there is Pacific Cruisers and up at Brundall, Silverline, who will also have a new build for 2017. Swancraft next to Silverline also do pumpouts I believe. 

Fred

[Happy]

23 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

Pull the plug out?

Gone are the days when there was a handy pump-out facility every few miles. The lonely one on Oulton Broad might be open, if you are lucky. With a yard going at Reedham I wonder what will happen there next year? Down South there is Maffets, Brooms and the Waveney River Centre for sure, hopefully Freedom will continue, but off the top of my head I don't know of any others where hire boats can go. 

What about Hippersons and Derby's Quay at Beccles?

[JennyMorgan]

Don't know if this is accurate:

http://www.mynorfolkbroadsboating.co.uk/norfolk broads water and electric points.html

Having now read it I'd suggest it's pretty good, but not perfect. For example doesn't Waveney River Centre and City Boats need updating?

[Hylander]

Over 14 days no problems at all. These have water points and in most cases rubbish disposal as well.

Herbert Woods and Hippersons excellent pump outs 5*.

. Richardsons, Barton Turf, Acle, Stracey arms. Salhouse, Reedham , Langley Dyke. Waveney Centre , Norwich YS.

 

 

Edited June 29, 2016 by Hylander
Memory going

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Peter

It is somewhat out of date, It does not show that fuel, pumpouts and gas is available at Brooms.

Also missing is the electric posts at Brammerton & Sumerleyton.

Regards

Alan

[Broads01]

I don't subscribe to the Facebook groups but I assume the 'yard at Reedham' is Sandersons. This is sad news because they're such a long-established name. I'm wondering if the 'one other' is Horizon Acle as already discussed.

[imtamping2]

1 hour ago, Hylander said:

Over 14 days no problems at all. These have water points and in most cases rubbish disposal as well.

Herbert Woods and Hippersons excellent pump outs 5*.

. Richardsons, Barton Turf, Acle, Stracey arms. Salhouse, Reedham , Langley Dyke. Waveney Centre , Norwich YS.

 

 

No facilities at Langley, I assume you mean Loddon.

[TrevorAndDeirdre]

as Alan says some mistakes Barnes, Herbert Woods, and Ludham public mooring have Electric points for use. Not sure of prices but Barnes it is £2.00.

[troutman62]

18 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

I notice on dear ol' FaceBook that a yard at Reedham and one other, location unknown, are closing at the end of the 2016 season. How long before we are down to just the big four or five?

Its such a shame, The  character if the Broads has changed dramatically since I started going there around 1970. ( Not all for the worst though, thank goodness) but I used to love wading through the Hoseasons and Blakes boating catalogues on a winters night, choosing from dozens of boats and yards , but sadly no longer.

[riyadhcrew]

I used to love going through the catalogues and picking a boat. Then when your booking confirmation arrived, you had the little handbook to go through, which was even more fun. Even ordering groceries to be delivered to the boat was fun. Times are a changing, as they say. 

[troutman62]

21 minutes ago, riyadhcrew said:

I used to love going through the catalogues and picking a boat. Then when your booking confirmation arrived, you had the little handbook to go through, which was even more fun. Even ordering groceries to be delivered to the boat was fun. Times are a changing, as they say. 

Oh yes ! the little blue book that I used to read over and over again. It was all great.

[boycee]

There are 2 water,pumpout & fuel facilities in Beccles at Quayside boats(the old Aston Boats yard ) & Hippersons- good service at both

Boycee

 

[Hylander]

No I did not mean Lodden ,  we never stopped there as it was like the seventh circle of hell at the time.  I meant good moorings and rubbish point at Langley Dyke.

 

I will add that at the moment the bins are full to overflowing , not very pleasant, but rather than just moaning about it I have been on to the Norfolk Council and told them to get their gear in action and clear it,  it does nothing for tourism.

 

 

[Vaughan]

A little bird has just told me that the "yard" for sale at Reedham is a plot of land that has not been used as a boatyard for several years.

This does not distract from the vitally important matter that we are witnessing the slow and lingering demise of Broads boating as we used to know it. We have to, somehow, maintain an infrastructure of local services.