Loddon Staithe

[Paul]

9 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:

the Chet is not a problem for me

Having hired from Pacific on forty plus occasions I never have a problem with it. In fact I love cruising down the Chet. For obvious reasons cruising back up it never seems quite so pleasant.

[Matt]

Womack also has an honesty box in/near the big rock not far from the water hose.


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[MauriceMynah]

10 hours ago, vanessan said:

MM, I thought even you accepted that not all BA employees behave like their lord and master?

In fairness Vanessan, it is my experience that asking Government departments for definitive answers rarely gets results and that my comment was not aimed specifically at the BA, nor even it's lord and master, but I am delighted you have enjoyed more success than I have.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

40 minutes ago, Matt said:

Womack also has an honesty box in/near the big rock not far from the water hose.


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I never knew that, thanks Matt.

I know it`s been reported that Lightning has moored at Beccles overnight, and having arrived late, and possibly leave early, they never get charged. However,  the quay rangers do look at the CCTV pictures to see if people do arrive late, and it gets reported back, but most people may not know this, so maybe an honesty box should be applied there. I know we all want to moor free of charge, i certainly do, but as people have said, moorings cost, and it`s only fair that those that use them should be the ones that pay towards their general maintainance and upkeep. 

As far as i`m concerned, that should also apply to those that use the roads, Cars, lorries, buses, CYCLISTS, HORSES, .............right, i`m off now  .

[marshman]

It is a BA mooring and is shown on their list of 24 hr moorings - currently! Perhaps the Parish Council intend taking the mooring back and ending the lease? 

Lets all just wait and see what comes out - it will in the end! And if the BA are in negotiation they are unlikely to disclose exactly what is going on at the moment methinks!

[JennyMorgan]

32 minutes ago, marshman said:

It is a BA mooring and is shown on their list of 24 hr moorings - currently! Perhaps the Parish Council intend taking the mooring back and ending the lease? 

Lets all just wait and see what comes out - it will in the end! And if the BA are in negotiation they are unlikely to disclose exactly what is going on at the moment methinks!

All very true and we must remember that the BA has recently upset a number of parish & district councils, some of which are no longer friends of the Authority. Anyway, not down to us, whatever will be will be!

[NorfolkNog]

Back in the depths of my memory I've an idea that someone once slipped on the quay heading at Loddon and injured themselves. I seem to recall this was taken up with the local council rather than the BA which resulted in the emery paper type stuff  being tacked along the top of the quay heading which is still there to this day. 

Just to play devils advocate (never you say)  like the national park bit I wonder if the BA just class any place where you can tie up for 24 hours as 'their' mooring. I don't suppose Joe Public are bothered unduly. Is Thorpe listed as a BA mooring? 

Just a though! 

 

[webntweb]

12 hours ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

We often moor at Womack Staithe, and someone comes round to take the money. The chances are Howard that you`re probably in the pub whenever he comes round?  

Being in the pub doesn't put the lady at Stokesby off; she comes into the pub for your money

[NorfolkNog]

15 minutes ago, webntweb said:

Being in the pub doesn't put the lady at Stokesby off; she comes into the pub for your money

Now she is a star 

We moored there several times this winter, offered to pay but no, she was quite happy. Mind you me and Mrs Nog are not ones to sit with a shandy and 2 straws all night 

Her handmade chocolates are not to be missed 

[vanessan]

8 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:

Now she is a star 

We moored there several times this winter, offered to pay but no, she was quite happy. Mind you me and Mrs Nog are not ones to sit with a shandy and 2 straws all night 

Her handmade chocolates are not to be missed 

I thought the moorings at Stokesby (not those right outside the pub) were owned by Glebe (?) Farm. 

[webntweb]

 

36 minutes ago, vanessan said:

I thought the moorings at Stokesby (not those right outside the pub) were owned by Glebe (?) Farm. 

Yes, I meant that the lady from the farm moorings came into the pub to collect your mooring fee.

[marshman]

Commissioners Cut is a BA mooring but the ones through the bridges belong to the Town Council - the BA gave them up.

I think the BA moorings at Stokesby are a bit further upstream, nearer the playground

I believe on all the BA 24 hr moorings they will have leases in place and none will be "just because there is a piece of grass" !!

[NorfolkNog]

2 hours ago, webntweb said:

 

Yes, I meant that the lady from the farm moorings came into the pub to collect your mooring fee.

Sorry, misunderstood - getting mixed up between farm lady (who I've never encountered) and the land lady. 

Apologies, we always just moor at the pub. I suppose if you moor at Stokesby and you're not on your boat it's a fair assumption you'll be in the pub! 

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:

Sorry, misunderstood - getting mixed up between farm lady (who I've never encountered) and the land lady. 

That's the old age Mr Nog 

19 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:

I suppose if you moor at Stokesby and you're not on your boat it's a fair assumption you'll be in the pub! 

Or Acle, Loddon, Reedham, Cantley, Wroxham, Horning, Beccles, St Olaves, Ludham, Stalham.....etc, etc 

[Meantime]

I may be wrong, but I seem to remember that Pyes Mill is a parish mooring and due to people over staying and the BA having no power to move them on because they were not the land owner a temporary lease was put in place with peppercorn rent so that the BA could police the moorings under the powers contained within it's byelaws rather than wait for the council to get it's own byelaws in place. As leaseholder of the moorings it could then enforce it's own 24hr mooring byelaws.

I think a similar situation has existed with the Loddon mooring for some time again due to the popularity of this mooring with overstayers, particularly as it has public conveniences nearby, good access to transport to Norwich and electric posts. Perhaps this arrangement is about to come to an end and the local council has now got it's own byelaws in place to enforce a 24hr visitor policy and the charge helps to emphasize the fact they are short term moorings.

I don't know if it is still there, but the moorings at Rockland used to be free for 24 hrs and then a daily charge if you overstayed. I'm sure it used to be on the sign, not sure if it's still there.

[Pulsedc30]

Loddon Staithe & Pyes Mill are owned by South Norfolk District Council but are ran by Loddon Parish Council. Policed by the Broads Authority.

[Meantime]

35 minutes ago, Pulsedc30 said:

Loddon Staithe & Pyes Mill are owned by South Norfolk District Council but are ran by Loddon Parish Council. Policed by the Broads Authority.

However, I believe The BA can only police their byelaws on moorings they own, or lease, which is why they were given a temporary lease for Pyes Mill to be able to police the overstayers. It is for other land owners to police their own land either by trespass or local council byelaws.

[Guest]

Just flipping the topic a little back to the concerns I have seen from local businesses, the thoughts on the moorings are very interesting however how does anyone feel it will affect the businesses?

On social media (I know) they dont seem too pleased about this idea, but will it make much difference?

I know I'll still be heading down the Chet  like many owners and regular hirers however does anyone else believe others will be willing to travel the 45-60 minute beautiful journey down a narrow river to find the potential, soon to be charged for end of navigation moorings are full and have to return back the way they came just to begin another journey to find another mooring???

Again, I know I would, but for a hirer who either hasn't visited the broads before or who isn't willing to "waste" a potential 2 hours just to find that a mooring isn't available does this put Lodden at a potential dangerous position  of being cut off from tourist revenue???

[Ray]

My guess is that it won't change much, if anything there is perhaps slightly more chance of an adventurous hirer/first timer finding a mooring if others are put off by a fee.

People leaving it until almost dark looking for a night's mooring could come unstuck but that's as true now with no fee.

Like you I'll happily cruise to Lodden and back whether or not I get to stop there and have made the journey before with no intention of mooring!

[Meantime]

10 hours ago, Jayfire said:

Just flipping the topic a little back to the concerns I have seen from local businesses, the thoughts on the moorings are very interesting however how does anyone feel it will affect the businesses?

On social media (I know) they dont seem too pleased about this idea, but will it make much difference?

I know I'll still be heading down the Chet  like many owners and regular hirers however does anyone else believe others will be willing to travel the 45-60 minute beautiful journey down a narrow river to find the potential, soon to be charged for end of navigation moorings are full and have to return back the way they came just to begin another journey to find another mooring???

Again, I know I would, but for a hirer who either hasn't visited the broads before or who isn't willing to "waste" a potential 2 hours just to find that a mooring isn't available does this put Lodden at a potential dangerous position  of being cut off from tourist revenue??? 

I think the possibility of arriving at Loddon and finding the moorings full and there being a charge are two unrelated topics. Anyone who may be put off from heading down the Chet in case the mooring is full is unlikely to change that stance if a charge is introduced, although in reality a charge being introduced may deter one or two people from mooring there purely from a financial perspective and therefore make it slightly more likely that you would find a mooring at busy times.

I can think of two other places with a similar or longer journey time to a dead end that the risk of arriving at a full mooring doesn't seem to deter people so really don't see that as an issue. Coltishall common is listed as 231 metres long and suitable for 21 boats, whereas Pyes Mill is listed as 300 metres and suitable for 27 boats. Add on the7 listed for Loddon itself and 39 metres or 3 boats at Chedgrave Common and there is considerably more mooring than Coltishall which is 90 mins from Wroxham. In addition for hirers there is a couple of small hire yards in Chedgrave that they could also use.

Geldeston Locks and village also has less moorings than Loddon and about the same distance from Beccles as Loddon is from the Yare. Again the risk of finding moorings full doesn't seem to deter people.

I can honestly say that I have never in 18 years of boating turned up at Loddon and not found a mooring at either Loddon, or Pyes Mill, which is why I think you cannot really link that issue to what may happen if a charge is introduced.

As for the charge itself, will it affect the businesses? I suppose it's possible, but other popular moorings where a modest mooring fee exists still seem to remain popular. I well remember on another forum a landlord of a pub moaning about the fact that a large part of Ranworth staithe was reserved for a group of boats with school children on board and that it would deprive him of customers. I found it hard to see his side as he benefitted for most of the year from a facility that he did not pay for, or maintain to bring custom to his business, unlike a riverside pub which has it's own moorings and has to pay for the upkeep and maintenance of them.

[vanessan]

In recent years, Loddon staithe has had a problem with overstayers. I wonder if this has anything to do with the possibility/talk of mooring fees being introduced. I am inclined to agree with ECIPA and Ray and think that fees at the staithe probably wouldn’t deter most people from travelling the Chet. However, having to pay a fee might encourage people to stay longer to get their money’s worth thus creating less of a turnover at the moorings. With pubs and shops in the villages, Loddon and Chedgrave are always going to attract boats. 

[grendel]

it all depends on what is perceived as a modest charge, and whether the councils charge will indeed be modest.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

EastCoastIPA, 

There`s now only one hire fleet at Loddon, and that`s "Pacific Cruisers", so hire boaters can`t garruntee a mooring if they have a number of their fleet still in.  Maffetts have`nt been hiring for the last couple of years now, so they probably won`t allow overnight mooring, though i think they still provide pumpout and water. It`s also worth mentioning that several hirefleets WON`T allow private boats to moor in their yards.

[Wyndham]

Just my point of view....

I went to Loddon Staithe once and am in no rush to go back there.

Now if they introduced a charge to moor there I might think about going there again.

In fact I think a case could be made for making a charge at all BA moorings with electric posts.

In my mind I like to think of it as forward thinking, you can make of it what you will.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

2 minutes ago, Wyndham said:

Just my point of view....

I went to Loddon Staithe once and am in no rush to go back there.

Now if they introduced a charge to moor there I might think about going there again.

In fact I think a case could be made for making a charge at all BA moorings with electric posts.

In my mind I like to think of it as forward thinking, you can make of it what you will.

Sorry Wyndham, i don`t quite  understand your logic, why should you pay to more at a staithe just because it has 240v posts, you`re already paying for the electric via the cards?. Now if they were of the type at some of the yacht stations, such as Beccles, that are NOT card operated, fair point, but most other places are card operated.