Wayford Bridge Hotel moorings

[marshman]

I notice that the moorings opposite the hotel and which I think may be owned by the hotel, are now up for sale. I am not entirely sure who owns them but following the recent successful sale of the hotel, this stretch of riverbank is now for sale for £150k.

Whilst perhaps I can see the new owners trying to sell to defray part of the cost of their purchase cost of the hotel, this is an extremely worrying development - to me it has shades of the disastrous sale some years ago of the old Anchor moorings at Coltishall - that used to be a lovely mooring and because of the capacity meant you could guarantee a mooring in that lovely village. Now it is full, except for 2 moorings, of permanently moored and sometimes unloved craft and whilst i understand economics, it does nothing to help the village or the mooring situation up there.

If this mooring above Wayford is lost then there are just TWO moorings this side of the bridge and perhaps one of the best left in the whole area would be lost. At the price asked, this clearly suggests an application will be made to turn these into permanent and long term moorings to the detriment of " casual" moorers. I suspect the only hope is that such a move would probably require planning permission but am unsure whether the BA would be able to actually refuse such an application if it were made.

Does anyone have any further information, or views on this???????

[BroadScot]

Hi Marshy, I do not like the sound of that at all. I remember using the Anchor Moorings at Coltishall often, many years past, and would NOT wish to see more private moorings other side of the bridge at Wayford. I have moored there in the past through the bridge, but not recently.

Who owns the Houseboats Land please? The Hotel?

Iain.

[Bayleaf]

Waterside Estate Agents advert specifies bank for temporary moorings. Permanent moorings would be greatly restricted by the bridge.

[marshman]

I know what it says but thats a lot for temporary moorings!! Pretty rubbish return guesstimated for return on capital employed and if it is bought my guess is an application would be in pretty sharpish - I hope not but watch this space!!!

Because rise and fall is limited at Wayford and there is little water flowing downstream, the bridge is rarely a significant problem, even after heavy rain - or rather i have never found it much of a problem.!!!!!

[Heron]

.

The mooring signs at this site indicate the present mooring is operated by the Vintage Boat Company,

The Vintage Boat Company -

Wayford Bridge Yacht Station, Wayford Bridge, Norwich, Norfolk, NR12 9LL, GB.

 

On the face of it nothing to do with the hotel.

 

 

[Soundings]

Ah! The Vintage Boat Company eh. I remember looking at a boat they had for sale there. Never realised they ran the moorings although I never thought they belonged to the pub. 

[Oddfellow]

This was for sale about six / seven years ago. I looked at it then and considered that it's ability to pay for itself was very low. I do not believe that it has anything to do with the hotel. 

£150k is a remarkable amount of money for a stretch of narrow river bank with very little potential except for collecting a few pounds of the smattering of boats that use it. It is regularly underused. I don't recall the asking price when I was looking at it, but it would have been nowhere near this.

[marshman]

My apologies to the new hotel owners then!!!! My false premise probably came from the idea that in the past, I thought that I had got money off food in the hotel if I moored there but must be imagining it I guess.

Nonetheless as Andy says it is a ridiculous amount of money for something that may cost you more to collect than revenue received UNLESS it is converted into permanent moorings.

Something to keep an eye on though as it would be a big loss if they were lost as casual moorings and permission given to turn them into permanents.

 

[Heron]

Marshman I think you are right in thinking a food discount was given for mooring above the bridge at sometime in the past. Can't think when or why though.

[kfurbank]

I believe the 50% return of mooring fee is still in operation. It used to be printed on the signs. It was obviously an agreement between the mooring owner and the hotel. I remember about three years back mooring there and no one came to collect the mooring fee until the next morning. We pointed out that had they collected the fee the night before we would have got 50% back as we ate in the restaurant to which we were told, don't worry, just take the mooring ticket to the hotel reception and they will give you the 50% refund, which they did. Seems for whatever reason they often collected the fee in the morning rather than the evening and agreement had already been reached with the hotel.

I believe the agreement is still in operation with the hotel. If you consider the limited mooring below the bridge, it is the only way to encourage more trade from boaters. I always considered the mooring fee a bit steep considering there are no facilities, all you are paying for is a bit of uneven grass bank to moor against. £4 if you get the refund and use the hotel is just about ok, but £8 for no facilities is very steep.

I do wonder if the current owner of the moorings is hoping the hotel will purchase the moorings. Although at that price it is very expensive.

[Guest]

Keith's quite right, the sign does/did advertise a discount for moorers using the Wayford Bridge Hotel.

 

This photo was taken in October last year.

[BroadScot]

Welcome back Strowy  Nice to see you posting again!

 

Iain

[riyadhcrew]

Welcome back from us too. You have been missed Strowager.

[kfurbank]

Thanks Strowy and welcome back to posting.

[ExSurveyor]

Welcome back Stowager.

[ranworthbreeze]

Welcome back to the forum Strowager, you have been missed and forum members were worried about you.

Regards

Alan

[Ebbtide]

I havn't posted for some time now due to illness.  I am a little out of touch with things Broadland at present.

However I can supply some historical information re these moorings.  I! I remember correctly a late friend of mine bought this property, and renamed it the Wood farm Inn in about 1982. A short while after he also bought the moorings in question. Out of interest it was a very small percentage of what is being asked now. I do know he was not allowed permanent moorings. He charged  for overnight mooring which was refunded if the boat hirer/owner ate in the pub. Very few people did moor there, and I doubt he got a return even on the amount he paid for it then. He, and his family sold the pub some years later. The houseboats had no connection at all with the pub.

I have no idea what the situation was once he sold the property. The price asked sounds a lot for a strip of land that you could do little with.

[BroadScot]

Hi Ebbtide,

I do hope you are now back to full health again.

 

Iain.

 

[Ebbtide]

Thank you Iain. Much appreciated. Afraid its on going but better than it was. I did have a nice trip out  on the Humber last weekend on the Humber Keel Comrade. It was nice to be on the water again. I will try and put some pictures of the trip on soon. Some members might be interested.

Maurice

[kfurbank]

The famous Wood Farm Inn. Having been visiting The Broads for a few years and having visited The Wayford Bridge Inn a few times I stumbled across an old copy of Hamiltons and it mentioned The Wood Farm Inn. I then got a copy of the OS map for the area and it also showed The Wood Farm Inn. Thinking there must be an undiscovered gem around the area myself and a friend set off past the houseboats and found nothing, we then went back to the main road and past the Wayford Bridge Inn and up the track next to it which has a few dwellings. Still no sign of a pub. Eventually we asked someone in their front garden only to be told it had been renamed to the afore mentioned Wayford Bridge Inn. The OS map appeared to show the pub as being behind where The Wayford Bridge Inn is, hence our fruitless search.

[Ebbtide]

Yes I guess it would have created a mystery for you!  I think however  The Wood Farm Inn is in the same place it has always been. The Wayford Bridge Inn was in fact built over the existing Wood Farm Inn. So technically its still there as part of the structure of The Wayford Bridge Inn. Though not recognisable as it once was.  So yes you did find it!

Maurice

[BroadScot]

When it was just an Inn, I remember quite a big burley chap who downed a fair number of half pints during the evenings libations, while serving as the Barman !  It was the walk back under the bridge which you had to stoop slightly to get to the 24 hour moorings that proved interesting.

 

Iain.

[Hockham Admiral]

I notice that the moorings opposite the hotel and which I think may be owned by the hotel, are now up for sale. I am not entirely sure who owns them but following the recent successful sale of the hotel, this stretch of riverbank is now for sale for £150k.

Does anyone have any further information, or views on this???????

£150,000? For a field? Lunatics and asylums come to mind...  

[Ebbtide]

When it was just an Inn, I remember quite a big burley chap who downed a fair number of half pints during the evenings libations, while serving as the Barman !  It was the walk back under the bridge which you had to stoop slightly to get to the 24 hour moorings that proved interesting.

 

Iain.

Good morning Iain.

If its the person I think it is from you're description. He passed away last years, and was in his 80s. Yes the bridge is a bit low!

Maurice

[Ebbtide]

£150,000? For a field? Lunatics and asylums come to mind...  

Only if someone pay's it John. I know what it changed hands for in about 1982, and it was a fraction of that sum!

Maurice