Ranworth Mooring Fees?

[Wussername]

"mooring attendants are usually volunteers"

At Reedham, Grt Yarmouth and Norwich they are not volunteers. They are employed by BA.

I do not know of any volunteer attendants other than Ranworth, if indeed they are volunteer's, how does one know ? but perhaps they are to be found elsewhere.

 

[rightsaidfred]

I was referring to Ranworth and the attendants there last year I spoke to were volunteers doing two or three days each.

Fred

[Wussername]

48 minutes ago, rightsaidfred said:

I was referring to Ranworth and the attendants there last year I spoke to were volunteers doing two or three days each.

 

Agreed. But are we not lead to believe that this will change. I am sure that I read some where that the £10 mooring fee will help towards staff cost, which would seem to imply that the attendants will be paid.

I am still not sure how one is able to identify a volunteer from a paid employer. 

Indeed are they both trained to the same standard, have the same authority as in the ability to enforce the regulations with regard to the mooring.

[Bikertov]

1 hour ago, MauriceMynah said:

Ignoring all the flying teddies,  the matter is quite simple. If the BA can legally charge, then sooner or later they will.

If such an action is not legal then the BA may try it, but they do so at their own risk. 

Finally, if such an option is illegal,  and they try it, and they are caught out,  then it's "goodbye gong" for the doctor, whose wife will not be a happy bunny. 

And if it ends up with a legal challenge, i wonder who will pick up the tab for the legal fees ?

Rhetorical question ... it will be the toll payers of course  

[rightsaidfred]

20 minutes ago, Wussername said:

Agreed. But are we not lead to believe that this will change. I am sure that I read some where that the £10 mooring fee will help towards staff cost, which would seem to imply that the attendants will be paid.

I am still not sure how one is able to identify a volunteer from a paid employer. 

Indeed are they both trained to the same standard, have the same authority as in the ability to enforce the regulations with regard to the mooring.

Volunteers normally only get expenses, if last year was anything to go by training was in how to wave a boat hook about, the only post advertised is the information office, Liana one.

FRED

[Wussername]

6 minutes ago, rightsaidfred said:

Volunteers normally only get expenses, if last year was anything to go by training was in how to wave a boat hook about, the only post advertised is the information office, Liana one.

 

I personally witnessed the  boat hook incident on more than one occasion. 

Unbelievable and totally unacceptable.

 

[floydraser]

Can I point out the irony of car park charges - it's free at Ranworth. 

But as someone mentioned it: Car park charges can kill off any town centre and the best way to restore a town centre is to have free parking. It'll be interesting to see the long term effect of these mooring charges if/when they come in. We'll all be watching though. History may prove them to be acceptable but they are certainly not doing anything positive to attract more people to the Broads.

[CambridgeCabby]

I too bear witness to The BA’s own version of Sir Lancelot wielding his jousting lance at what he obviously considers as shiny white dragons approaching his shoreline .

His stance is more that of someone wishing to repel the hoard as opposed to assisting in mooring , he leaps with gay abandon on boats hire or private to fulfil his quest and we are expected to pay for that!!!

[grendel]

9 hours ago, floydraser said:

Car park charges can kill off any town centre and the best way to restore a town centre is to have free parking.

the problem is that councils ignore the locals and aim to gouge the tourists, here in Canterbury, the parking is an eye watering £1.60 an hour. this doesnt stop the tourists parking up and visiting as the town centre is always packed, locals often use the park and ride if staying for the day, but thats expensive if you just want an hour (£4 a day).

then there is the local issue that you are expected to use the ringgo app to pay for parking (lets hope the BA dont go down that route) if you dont own a smart phone (and many of the older generation dont,) then you will find it difficult to park.

I took my dad shopping in the town centre I grew up in yesterday, we got to a car park and parked up, and all I saw were signs for ringgo, luckily they also had a cash pay machine (ringgo £1 an hour- Cash £1.20 an hour- discrimenation) when we got to the high street, the once diverse high street had changed, if you wanted a coffee or burger, or to have your hair or nails done, great, you were well catered for, but groceries, hardware or other goods, well for those you needed to head out of town to get to the supermarkets.

[SwanR]

1 hour ago, grendel said:

ringgo £1 an hour- Cash £1.20 an hour- discrimenation

Not necessarily. There is a 20p admin charge added on when you pay by app. So actually that’s a good thing as it means you pay the same both ways. 

[SwanR]

I’ve kept quiet on this one as I fear my view as a hirer may not be popular. When folk on various Facebook groups ask what they should bring as first timers, while so many folk advise them to bring the kitchen sink, I usually tell them to have some money for mooring charges. 

When it comes to Ranworth I will happily pay to moor on the Island so I will equally pay to moor on the Staithe. I know … it’s different … but to your average holidaymaker maybe it’s not. And if it means that private boats use it less and I can get on there on the one occasion per year that I might want to, then that’s good for the hireboaters. I might have one short break per year so £40 extra in case I want to moor somewhere where there are charges is ok. But I do realise that it hits owners who want to be there every weekend. 

[Gracie]

Your view as a hirer is just as important as anyone else's 

I will happily pay too in some circumstances. The cost of mooring charges on top of an all ready very expensive holiday may be a tad too far for some. Owners also pay more than enough in tolls so I get why they would vote with their boats and not moor at certain places x

[Chelsea14Ian]

I understand  what you say,and I'm  sure many holiday boaters will do the same.However I feel BA are taking the mick they've  increased  tolls by 13% and clearly want more.Some pubs charging for moorings  and not refunding with food and drink.Added to the cost of hiring will I feel put some off.

[Vaughan]

Private owners are feeling that as the BA moorings are leased and maintained from the tolls fund, to charge overnight is just a double taxation.

Let's not forget that a hire boat already pays a much greater annual toll, so the hirer on holiday is just as much of a "stakeholder" as anyone else.

[CambridgeCabby]

Vaughan has hit the nail on the head .

Im not against paying a mooring charge at all , on private moorings and on moorings where additional services are offered and required such as Oulton , Beccles , and Great Yarmouth.

What irks me , and I believe others too, is the charging of a mooring fee at Ranworths currently free 24hr moorings which have been paid for already by the tolls paid by all vessels hire and private alike and the lame excuse that this is to provide and pay for mooring attendants who by general consensus are not needed or warranted.

If these charges go ahead then how long will it be until it is decided that Hoveton moorings will incur a charge as well and the shop staff at the BA site there will also become a mooring attendant ?

If I moor at Ranworth and the dedicated mooring attendant is in the shop selling tickets for Liana and I moor without their “assistance” will I still be expected to pay for a service that was not available at the time ?

[rightsaidfred]

1 hour ago, SwanR said:

I’ve kept quiet on this one as I fear my view as a hirer may not be popular. When folk on various Facebook groups ask what they should bring as first timers, while so many folk advise them to bring the kitchen sink, I usually tell them to have some money for mooring charges. 

When it comes to Ranworth I will happily pay to moor on the Island so I will equally pay to moor on the Staithe. I know … it’s different … but to your average holidaymaker maybe it’s not. And if it means that private boats use it less and I can get on there on the one occasion per year that I might want to, then that’s good for the hireboaters. I might have one short break per year so £40 extra in case I want to moor somewhere where there are charges is ok. But I do realise that it hits owners who want to be there every weekend. 

Jean, I have no issue with paying a charge on privately owned moorings such as the island as that is their only  source of income for the service they are providing and the upkeep, pub moorings are slightly different as I am spending money on their primary business.

When it comes to Ranworth Staithe and Reedham it is an entirely different situation, both of these moorings are funded from the tolls we all pay so an additional charge is unjustified and just milking the cash cow, added to this the BA do not currently have a lease or permission to charge at Reedham as confirmed by Broadland District Council, it was also established that it is unlawful to impose a charge for mooring on one that has always been a free Public Quay or Staithe, this was established in the last lease at Reedham and is something I understand the BA`s own legal advisers have noted, the danger here is if the BA get away with one dubious charge uncontested they will spread their wings in all directions.

Fred

[Chelsea14Ian]

Me too before  moving to Norfolk. We would happily  pay to moor in Nowich,Beccles  and Oulton. There are loos,Showers and often help mooring.Plus local info from the attendants.Would that same level of service at Ranworth and Reedham if fees come in?

[Broads01]

2 hours ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

Me too before  moving to Norfolk. We would happily  pay to moor in Nowich,Beccles  and Oulton. There are loos,Showers and often help mooring.Plus local info from the attendants.Would that same level of service at Ranworth and Reedham if fees come in?

Your question put a funny image in my head of a BA attendant pointing boaters towards the toilets in the car park as the "facilities".

[Mouldy]

3 hours ago, SwanR said:

I’ve kept quiet on this one as I fear my view as a hirer may not be popular. When folk on various Facebook groups ask what they should bring as first timers, while so many folk advise them to bring the kitchen sink, I usually tell them to have some money for mooring charges. 

Hmm!  Money for moorings is a good point.  Since cash became a dirty word during the pandemic, I find I seldom carry any.  It’s not intentional, I must just have been conditioned by circumstances.  The wife may also have to bear some responsibility - she doesn’t like me having money as I have a tendency to spend it! 
 

As for advice to first timers on FB groups, I never cease to be amazed by what some folk take.  We used to keep it fairly simple when hiring - a decent frying pan, a couple of sharp knives and sufficient mugs for the crew.  Afraid a dinky cup of tea is just not enough!  Suggestions of mattress toppers, your own duvets and other bed linen, various other pots, pans, crockery and cutlery I find slightly ridiculous.  How big are their cars?

I saw a post somewhere (it may have been on here, I can’t remember) saying that Ferry are already offering substantial discounts on holidays booked over the Easter period, may be indicative that their season is off to a slow start.  Time will tell how the economic situation is affecting this year’s bookings.  Seeing how many boats are left in yards during peak will give us all a clue.

Like most people, I’m not happy at the BA and the imposition of mooring charges at Reedham and Ranworth, although I don’t tend to overnight at either.  I do like to moor at Ranworth to walk up to the church, mooch about and watch the BA ranger wagging her boat hook about.  Not bothered about the pub, it would need to be significantly better than my last visit when it left much to be desired.  If it cost me £5 to moor for a few hours during the day, I’ll suffer it, assuming obviously that includes the £2 charge for water.

Again, how it affects visitor numbers remains to be seen and that is if it comes in.  There’s still time for the BA to come to their senses and realise how much anger there is amongst the boating community, regarding their measures.  Interesting that they’ve not considered posting anything in defence of their actions, although they obviously monitor the Forum, as they responded to another thread at some length just last week.

[Chelsea14Ian]

5 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

Your question put a funny image in my head of a BA attendant pointing boaters towards the toilets in the car park as the "facilities".

My point is there's very few facilities  at Ranworth  and Reedham.Where there are at ones mentioned and Great Yarmouth. To answer your point. There not pointing way, but taking the P!

 

[FlyingFortress]

On 18/03/2023 at 10:49, marshman said:

I don't think it will affect the shop or visitors to Ranworth - people mooring up tend to be in the minority compared to visitors going to the village as a whole which is generally rammed in the summer. Indeed as it seems lots of people won't bother to moor there now, it might reduce the crush of boats trying to!!

If you dont want to pay, mudweight and enjoy the boats jostling to pay, after all what is a pretty modest fee. I pay rates yet have to pay to park in Norwich and I think that visitors will just pay, as they do at Norwich YS, Salhouse, Yarmouth, Oulton, and Beccles plus many other places. At least you don't have to download an app as you now do in lots of places.

Neither do I think the Ranger will get a lot of abuse - people understand you have to pay to park your car all over Norfolk and quite frankly if you do abuse the guy doing his job you should be ashamed of yourself. As we get older we have to understand we live in a real world and not in one based on values some 50 years ago!

Well thats my view despite the fact I have never ever moored at Ranworth!!!!

I beg to differ MM .

Ranworth is only rammed on nice days.

On dull or rainy days the only occupants are Boaters, holiday lets and locals. 

This from a frequent visitor both by road and water.

[Meantime]

Perhaps the answer is to keep a copy of your toll receipt onboard. Then when the BA ranger comes calling and asking you for your mooring fee you can tell them you've already paid, then show the bemused ranger your toll receipt and walk away.

[FlyingFortress]

Ok let's think outside the box here.

Let's do away with tolls altogether and Free 24hr moorings.

Simply charge £10 a night at all BA moorings.

Then the ones that use the moorings most would pay the most and the Hire Companies can charge less for Hire ( yeah right) .

£700 would go a long way in my pocket for mooring fees particularly as I am quite happy to pay for multiple nights at Beccles and Oulton Broad at The Yacht Stations. 

Takes away the problem of overstaying as long as you pay you can stay as long as you like. It's win win for me as I find it quite pleasant to stay still for a few days when I am out on an extended stay on the boat.

[Bikertov]

5 hours ago, SwanR said:

Not necessarily. There is a 20p admin charge added on when you pay by app. So actually that’s a good thing as it means you pay the same both ways. 

"Admin" charges, like "Booking fees" make me laugh. And by that, I mean they make me furious.

Just another way of gouging more money out of us, by trying to make the cost of something look less by blaming someone else for part of it.

Do you get charged for the tin separately from the baked beans ?

Do you get charged for the pumping separately from the petrol ?

etc etc

If you can't opt-out and have the item or take the service without the charge, then just include it and don't try and hoodwink us.

[rightsaidfred]

1 hour ago, Meantime said:

Perhaps the answer is to keep a copy of your toll receipt onboard. Then when the BA ranger comes calling and asking you for your mooring fee you can tell them you've already paid, then show the bemused ranger your toll receipt and walk away.

It doesn't seem to have registered but none of the staff at Ranworth are Rangers, they are Information Officers and volunteers and to the best of my knowledge don't have the same training or level of authority, having said that even Rangers only have limited powers.

Fred