Send me your marina stories esp. Godmanchester, Hartford, Wyton, Westview, Hermitage - happy or sad, good or bad!

[SprayfoamMakesMeHappy]

DM me if you want to be discreet 🐵

Just conducting a spot of research - no sources will be revealed. 

Cheers

SFMMH

[PaulJ]

Westview are great. Always professional and do a good job hence why they have a long waiting list.

Also very helpful and always go the extra mile. 

Which is why I always reccomend to go there first...

[pearley]

We've moored at Hartford for the past 4 years. Lots of petty rules but other than that generally a happy place to moor.

 

Pontoons for most boats are 60 foot long and 4 ft wide with about 30 between fingers so a big gap between boats. 

 

Lots of water space to manoeuvre in with services easily accessible. Diesel only sold at 60/40 but moorers get 10% off. Unlimited free pump out.

 

Easy 3/4 hour cruise upstream to The Old Bridge with it's own moorings. Sat outside it at present. Good restaurant, good bar with 3 local real ales. 

 

Westview has recently changed hands so may change, especially after Marie leaves. But very friendly. Big machine to lift boats out. Very pleased with our last 2 pack although we were there 5 weeks due to flooding. They don't really accept liveaboards.

 

For the others I'll DM you as it's all hearsay.

 

Just to add the video on Westviews website has a nice drone shot of us moored on Visitor pontoon.

Edited October 24 by pearley

[SprayfoamMakesMeHappy]

THanks! Do you have any stories or anecdotes about any of them?

[SprayfoamMakesMeHappy]

Hello boatfolk!

Thanks to Pete and Pearly for responding.

Are reviews ever boring? I don't think so! Especially as places change hands (Westview and, I believe, Wyton)

But for my project I was hoping for stories or mini anecdotes.

Cheers

SFMMH

 

 

[alias]

40 minutes ago, SprayfoamMakesMeHappy said:

Hello boatfolk!

Thanks to Pete and Pearly for responding.

Are reviews ever boring? I don't think so! Especially as places change hands (Westview and, I believe, Wyton)

But for my project I was hoping for stories or mini anecdotes.

Cheers

SFMM

 

 

Mentioning what you want the stories for might stimulate some responses if people see that what they know might be relevant and useful.  What is your project? 

[MtB]

43 minutes ago, SprayfoamMakesMeHappy said:

But for my project I was hoping for stories or mini anecdotes.

 

What project?

 

I thought you were choosing somewhere to moor your boat! 

 

 

[Quattrodave]

Both Westview & Hertford are great. Wyton I found a little clicky but last year they did a great job at a great price..

I know a few people moored at Huntingdon Boat Haven (Godmanchester) and they really like it there....

 

What are you looking for & what type of boat??

Edited October 26 by Quattrodave

[blackrose]

On 25/10/2025 at 16:54, MtB said:

 

What project?

 

I thought you were choosing somewhere to moor your boat! 

 

 

 

I didn't assume that.

 

I thought it was odd that the OP had asked for stories in the title of the thread and then people started replying with marina reviews without questioning what "the research" was for.

Edited October 27 by blackrose

[MtB]

2 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

I didn't assume that.

 

I thought it was odd that the OP had asked for stories in the title of the thread and then people started replying with marina reviews without questioning what "the research" was for.

 

 

I did!

 

Like several here I forgot my aphorism "Assumption is the mother of all cock-ups".

 

Hence my question to the OP "What project?"

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

I find it a little interesting that the OP has asked for help, but does not bother to answer questions about the purpose of the information. One could think that it is an attempt to trap people trying to help him into saying something that might be to their detriment. he could argue that it is none of our business, but the same goes the other way, our personal anecdotes are none of his/her business.

[SprayfoamMakesMeHappy]

Hello Tony

Thanks for your concern.

I've been away

So, to clear up this little controversy, my original plan was to collect river / boater stories about a stretch of the River Great Ouse and its marinas that could be used, say, in the GOBA magazine.

 

However, the goalposts have shifted somewhat. We (it has become a joint venture) are now interested in hearing from anybody who has lost money at the hands of a marina owner called Jeremy Tyrrell. We think he owns the marina in Ely, also Hermitage at Earith, and one in Cheshire.

 

We're not interested in rumours or ratings, just people who can prove they lost money.

If you know of anybody, please direct them here!

 

Cheers

SFMMH

[GUMPY]

3 hours ago, SprayfoamMakesMeHappy said:

We think he owns the marina in Ely, also Hermitage at Earith, and one in Cheshire.

Certainly has his fingers in a few pies.

 

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/ReET_K4HtBJKPs7wGHhQ0eyVl1Q/appointments

 

 

[SprayfoamMakesMeHappy]

Cheers Gumpy

[GUMPY]

The interesting bit for me was the proposal to develop Roswell pits in Ely. Part of it is an SSSI another part is used by a fishing club, really a good development to get the locals on side.😂

 

https://www.elystandard.co.uk/news/22748315.mooring-plans-roswell-pits-float-boat/

 

 

 

 

[SprayfoamMakesMeHappy]

Great link!

Isn't he an interesting character.

Lost his appeal on Roswell Pits in November of the following year (2008) but not before he seems to have p1ssed off everybody in sight.

I have the impression he thinks he's a slick operator (e.g. his attempt to circumnavigate planning law). But his personality seems to let him down.

[pearley]

GOBA News hasn't been published for a year or more and it doesn't look hopeful that will be soon. 

[SprayfoamMakesMeHappy]

That's a pity. Could be a Catch-22 though, Pearley - no publication because not enough content.

Regardless, right now our focus is on the charming Mr Tyrrell

[Scholar Gypsy]

18 hours ago, pearley said:

GOBA News hasn't been published for a year or more and it doesn't look hopeful that will be soon. 

I read something from a Committee member recently: they hope to publish GOBA news before the end of 2025.

[pearley]

38 minutes ago, SprayfoamMakesMeHappy said:

That's a pity. Could be a Catch-22 though, Pearley - no publication because not enough content.

Regardless, right now our focus is on the charming Mr Tyrrell

Plenty of content, not enough volunteers. For some reason they didn't want me.

19 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I read something from a Committee member recently: they hope to publish GOBA news before the end of 2025.

I did read they had a new editor. But I also read much earlier than when the previous editor resigned the latest issue was almost ready to go. 

GOBA seem reluctant to answer any emails.

[SprayfoamMakesMeHappy]

All rather sad, it must be said, but it has me wondering if GOBA News ever ran a story about Jeremy Tyrrell in 2007, 2008 and the eventual £12,000 fine he received in 2010 over Roswell Pits...