Ridgeways

I'm going to add a more sour note. Leaving aside comparisons with other navigation authorities, there is a fundamental problem with BW management policy that is having a very destructive effect on the waterways. I would agree with those who applaud the ground staff, but even these at times have to undertake distasteful actions because of directives from on high. The primary purpose of BW in my opinion is to maintain and improve the system for the benefit of the nation. In doing so, they are enjoined by Act of Parliament to conduct themselves in as business-like a manner as possible, with a responsibility to maximise receipts on all property dealings that DO NOT involve the "track" and those facilities essential to its operation. Partly due to Governmental pressure, BW top management is comprised of those who get the emphasis wrong. Maximising receipts has become the primary goal, with the result that essential facilities are being lost at an alarming rate, and the character of the canalside is being wantonly destroyed. A few years ago, BW published a pretty good document for Council use, entitled Waterways and Development Plans. Amongst other policies, it urges Councils to protect boatyards, slipways and wharves, and offers good advice on the scale and character of any new waterside development. Tragically, this document is ignored when BW see an opportunity to make large chunks of money by development that is inappropriate according to their own guidelines. Councils that have taken BW's advice on board, find themselves having to fund legal fights brought by BW and their development partners, in their effort to push through destructive development purely for profit, careless of the loss of essential facilities. The Castlemill saga in Oxford is a prime example of this, BW arguing that a boatyard was not an essential facility! In my neck of the woods the Council is having to face a public inquiry shortly, because BW want to demolish the last canalside covered wharf, on the grounds that commercial use is no longer appropriate owing to the nearby vast residential development already permitted. Few people realise just how much of the canal's infrastructure is being lost, nor how quickly.

"they give moorings preference to customers purchasing boats from them." Can you give more detail Chris? I was not aware that BW now broker boats. Do you refer to the practice of allowing boats sold on the mooring to remain as a customer? That has mostly been permitted even though there is no legal right to transfer of the mooring and in a marina situation would usually be covered by a % being paid to the marina on sale of the boat. That is standard. I'd be most interested to learn more. As for the topic of competition with customers, that is being dealt with fairly vigorously by the British Marine Federation, and I believe the issue is now being viewed by an arbitrator. 'Till now, BW have been somewhat coy as regards transparency.

[quote in order to be able to make a case it needs to look a bit less like a rundown yard and a bit more like something worth preserving. Well, I am always trying to keep the place smartened up and improve on it, but I don't see that the colour shots that are current display a run-down yard. You didn't imagine that the 50's and 70's views were current did you? Admittedly the historic views show a shambles, they were posted to give a flavour of the history. The only bits from recent shots that might seem untidy are those of the working area, and that I'm afraid is a characteristic of a working boatyard. One of the suggestions I've put forward is that this area could be enclosed, both giving us more weather protection, and keeping the messier operations out of sight. I'd do a lot more myself, but when you have spent years fighting in the High Courts just to stay put, neither time nor money is available to invest in improvements. With security of tenure comes confidence in investment, and if the Council can give us that protection, then we'll be in a better position to make the improvements I'd like. Even so, many locals value us as we are, a genuine part of their history.

Thanks Paul, that was most helpful. It was also time-consuming, but I've posted up a series of old and new photos, all headed Ridgeways .... There's a map from 1777, photos and brochure from the 50's & 70's, current working and boating, view of the entrance and moorings, plus a detail from the current proposed scheme. (Plus a couple of birds) Nigel

Sadly developers do love the buzzwords, to use as they interpret them. The site Paul steered you to tells a little, finding out the really old history is difficult and time consuming. The wharf has been around forever, seemingly too much a part of the natural scene to ever invite much comment! Still, bits and pieces I have been finding out in old archives. The ancient wharf on which we are based has been used for centuries to provide transhipment to and from the town centre market place less than 100 yds away. It served timber yards, bakeries, glue manufacturers, soap makers, tanneries and malthouses just within the last century or so, and has been used for boat building, hire, moorings, repair & maintenance from 1947. As a natural backwater of the River Brent, it pre-dates the canal age, - with its location so close to the old Roman road taking Londoners westward, it is naturally responsible for the way Brentford's street layout grew. Being semi-tidal it is a great birdlife sanctuary, I've been making floating nests too, which were used for the first time last year by moorhens to raise a brood of 8. All the others, coots, ducks, swans, geese etc bring their young into the basin to either browse in safety or climb up the slipway for a rest or sunbake. They co-exist with us and the work going on quite remarkably. If I could work out posting pictures I'd oblige!

Boatyards are disappearing all over the system under development pressure. In this respect BW are part of the menace, with Adelaide Dock in west London being mothballed for workboat storage with plans afoot for flat-building and the Jericho yard occupants due for eviction shortly. Berkhamsted Wharf have just fought a planning battle, and Oxford Council remain one of the few who are prepared to take an uncompromising stand on protection. Here in London, the Mayor's plan for a safeguarding boatyards report has been stalled for over a year by BW's failure to contribute. In Brentford, where the Grand Union enters the Thames, there are just two yards remaining in operation, MSO below the lock on the old E.C.Jones' site, and ours above the lock, off the canal. One other formerly excellent yard hopefully awaits refurbishment on an island in the Thames. Hounslow Council have helpfully created new site designations for the river-based yards to protect their use, but have failed to extend this to the canalside one, the oldest wharf here. They are however holding a public consultation as to the future development of Brentford, so this is a chance to show them how necessary it is to preserve and protect canal industries, not just the river ones. We have struggled for years to remain in business, despite efforts of developers to evict us to facilitate an unsympathetic Town Centre regeneration scheme. We will continue to fight on that front, but need help in gaining the Council's support. Retaining a working yard and offline moorings can and has been accomplished within Town Centre developments before, adding to the character and value of them. A semi-tidal yard so close to the High Street of a town centre must be rare indeed. I have the chance to try pushing these aspects in persuading the Council that Ridgeways must be retained within any new scheme. I have set up an online petition and would like to present the Strategic Planning Department with a print out of the results before consultation closes on 7th March. The more “signatures” I can get in the next 2 weeks the better. Please try to think of something for the comments section, - that makes all the difference! Get to the site on: http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/Ridgeways_boatyard/ (And don't worry about the Paypal message that invites contributions to the site once details have been submitted, - it can be ignored without affecting the submission)