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Brinklow Marina gone bust


jeepster

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Is it one of those marinas which occupy abandoned loops on the North Oxford?

Considering the (reported) demand for berths at the mo', it must take great determination,, considerable ineptitude, cursedly bad luck or a combination thereof to lose money running a marina.

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10 minutes ago, Athy said:

Is it one of those marinas which occupy abandoned loops on the North Oxford?

Considering the (reported) demand for berths at the mo', it must take great determination,, considerable ineptitude, cursedly bad luck or a combination thereof to lose money running a marina.

He worked very hard at it, I have spoken to more than one person who has been unable to pay for their moorings as he didn't reply to them

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On 23/09/2020 at 16:35, Athy said:

Is it one of those marinas which occupy abandoned loops on the North Oxford?

Considering the (reported) demand for berths at the mo', it must take great determination,, considerable ineptitude, cursedly bad luck or a combination thereof to lose money running a marina.

Partly.

Brinklow Marina.jpg

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On 23/09/2020 at 16:46, ditchcrawler said:

He worked very hard at it, I have spoken to more than one person who has been unable to pay for their moorings as he didn't reply to them

 

So did Kit at New Mills.

 

We had our second shareboat there for a year. Most of the winter works he not attend to (repaint, engine servicing etc). He did however re-varnish the rear steps. Pity he didn't think of cleaning them and rubbing them down first. He encapsulated all of the dirt and grit under a coat of varnish! ? He got the bill for another marina to do or re-do the work he had charged for.

 

I think it takes a special talent to make a financial mess of running a marina.

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Just now, Nightwatch said:

I have never entered Brinklow Marina, no desire to, but I see from the Ariel photo that it’s quite a biggy one innit? Sad that any business goes under, but I’ve heard stories of mismanagement for some time. Still sad.

It's certainly bigger than you'd think when you pass the entrance.

On the positive side, here is an opportunity for new people to take it over and, to use an overworked expression, "bring it back back to its former glory".

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1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:

Castle Marinas ought to buy Brinklow, (if and when offered for sale. Save them digging another hole at Cropredy and putting the nearby locks and water supplies under more pressure. 

Isn't it a bit late at Cropredy, they seemed to have dug a fair but when we came past last month.

 

We looked at Brinklow many years ago, getting in through the gate was hard work as there was no one about. I don't recall there being much there other than the moorings.

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8 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

Isn't it a bit late at Cropredy, they seemed to have dug a fair but when we came past last month.

 

We looked at Brinklow many years ago, getting in through the gate was hard work as there was no one about. I don't recall there being much there other than the moorings.

Tongue in cheek comment coming.

 

The hole at Cropredy to become a mini water source fed by Cropredy Reservoir a few miles away, to, in turn to feed the locks and pounds towards Banbury and beyond.

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33 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Tongue in cheek comment coming.

 

The hole at Cropredy to become a mini water source fed by Cropredy Reservoir a few miles away, to, in turn to feed the locks and pounds towards Banbury and beyond.

There is an automated sluice gate in Cropredy on the Cherwell river  behind Mill Bridge that diverts water to the reservoir I think.

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10 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Not many do. I only found out when the men in blue were doing some work hidden away in the bushes,

Its quite a clever installation. Pumps and all sorts in there.

It took us years to realise that the building on the right by Old Mill Bridge as you go South wasn't the mill - it's farm stabling. A couple of years ago we did explore the remains of the mill and it was obvious that there was some sort of water control there, but I hadn't realised that it was an automatic sluice.

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5 hours ago, Nightwatch said:

Anyone know if it has an existing facilities block etc.?

I don’t think so.  We looked round there when we got the boat 10 years ago, and there the water and electric plus elsan.  I suspect there is rubbish disposal but I don’t remember.  That was it, and based on a conversation I had at a Thames lock today with someone who moors there at the moment, it has not changed.

 

 

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4 hours ago, Rob-M said:

Isn't it a bit late at Cropredy, they seemed to have dug a fair but when we came past last month.

 

We looked at Brinklow many years ago, getting in through the gate was hard work as there was no one about. I don't recall there being much there other than the moorings.

I've just got back to our mooring at Cropredy and the "new hole" has been puddled and stanchions are in for the pre-manufactured pontoons to go on.  None of your plonk plonk pile driving though, they brought in a proper steel piling machine that vibrates them in.  Word has it that all the pontoons will be 70ft and a "select few" will be platinum moorings with wider pontoons, landscaping,  bespoke BBQ pits and dedicated parking slots - just what the floating cottage brigade will love. All for an additional 15% above standard rates.

 

Given the prevailing winds here, plus the fact that the link to/from the existing north pond will only be 8ft wide, it will no doubt provide for hours of endless fun as said 70 footers try to come through and turn left to access the cut!

 

Scuttlebut has it that Castle may actually be interested in Brinklow. Any uptake on that?

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I took out a mooring at Brinklow in 2007 and was there for 2 years.

 

It was very difficult to get hold of anyone to actually reserve and find a space. Nobody answered the phone or emails, although the website looked good.

 

When I did get an appointment there, it proved difficult to get into the locked gate and I had to eventually climb over.

 

It was rather new then and there was a pioneering spirit .... mainly amongst the boaters. 

Promises of launderettes....showers.....cafes etc.....

The boaters were provided with thousands of daffodil bulbs which they enthusiastically planted to make it look nice.

 

After that...nothing much happened. 

Looking at the overhead plan it would appear much as it was.

 

I can't understand how it was just dumped like this when it would appear there is huge demand for marinas.

 

 

 

 

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