Toilets closed at Welford Wharf

[RickS]

Not sure if this is the right sub-forum, but thought I would let people know, if they don't already, that the toilets are now locked and permanently closed at Welford Wharf. The Elsan is still open if that helps.

[Momac]

The  great majority of all C&RT toilets are now closed to use by boaters etc in the sense that locks have been changed . This was  announced last year and the closures started in November 2025.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/go-boating/boat-facilities-and-services/closed-facilities

 

 

[robtheplod]

54 minutes ago, RickS said:

Not sure if this is the right sub-forum, but thought I would let people know, if they don't already, that the toilets are now locked and permanently closed at Welford Wharf. The Elsan is still open if that helps.

Time to practice your squat techniques then!

[matty40s]

They had large CRT notices on them 2 weeks ago saying they were closed.

So long as you take your own toilet paper they are still open (and fairly clean) with a key....unless they have been secured alternatively since.

A lot of the liveaboard boaters up there use them.

 

Added...

(I think Rick's boat is one of those..so he might have up to date info)

Edited May 1 by matty40s

[RickS]

You are right , they had notices up for a while but still able to be opened with the usual key. This week they now have an additional lock on the door so not able to be used.

Don't know if this is permanent - I suspect its, and a couple of volunteers said they thought so to. They are keeping the building so I don't get the point of closing them. If they had asked, I'm sure people would have taken a turn to clean them - if that is the problem.

Anyway, it is what it is.

[Arthur Marshall]

10 minutes ago, RickS said:

You are right , they had notices up for a while but still able to be opened with the usual key. This week they now have an additional lock on the door so not able to be used.

Don't know if this is permanent - I suspect its, and a couple of volunteers said they thought so to. They are keeping the building so I don't get the point of closing them. If they had asked, I'm sure people would have taken a turn to clean them - if that is the problem.

Anyway, it is what it is.

Didn't CRT suggest, when they announced the closures, that they were willing to let local boaters or such take over the maintenance? Too late once it's done and dusted, obviously.

[ditchcrawler]

7 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Didn't CRT suggest, when they announced the closures, that they were willing to let local boaters or such take over the maintenance? Too late once it's done and dusted, obviously.

I guess that would be on a formal basis. Are there any clubs there that would take it on?

[Arthur Marshall]

46 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I guess that would be on a formal basis. Are there any clubs there that would take it on?

I suspect that's the problem. The local moorers might be happy cleaning it out every now and then, but being responsible for repairs is a different matter.

[ditchcrawler]

3 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I suspect that's the problem. The local moorers might be happy cleaning it out every now and then, but being responsible for repairs is a different matter.

They could do like they do abroad and sit out side with a little table taking 50p off everyone who wants to use them 

[Chris John]

An observation when I was at Welford last was that the marina residents wander over and use the CRT bins thus saving the marina owners from suppling and having to pay for refuge to be collected. Is this normal? Doesn’t seem right to me.
 

The 14 day mooring near the lock also seems to have been taken over by the usuals! 

[BoatingLifeUpNorth2]

10 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

They could do like they do abroad and sit out side with a little table taking 50p off everyone who wants to use them 

How much! 50p, that’s taking the pi$$, do you think boaters are that flush? They’re so tight they’ll only want to spend a penny.🚽🚽

Edited May 2 by BoatingLifeUpNorth2

[mrsmelly]

In my thirty plus years I rarely used them, the elsan points yes but notvthe bogs, I used my own onboard. A shame to lose them though. 

[RickS]

Yes, the marina moorers use the bins at Welford Wharf, and I'm not sure why you think they shouldn't. They pay a licence fee so are surely entitled to use the facilities.

[Gybe Ho]

4 hours ago, RickS said:

Yes, the marina moorers use the bins at Welford Wharf, and I'm not sure why you think they shouldn't. They pay a licence fee so are surely entitled to use the facilities.

 

The marina residents pay a reduced license fee compared to continuous cruisers for their assumed lower usage of CRT infrastructure. The reverse point is frequently made on this forum when the issue of an appropriate CCer license surcharge is debated. 

[frangar]

5 hours ago, RickS said:

Yes, the marina moorers use the bins at Welford Wharf, and I'm not sure why you think they shouldn't. They pay a licence fee so are surely entitled to use the facilities.

Yet other marinas seem to be able to provide facilities for their moorers and not expect CRT to subsidise their running costs…you do realise waste is usually weighed when collected so we all end up paying for the marinas profits? 

[RickS]

All good points. That is possibly why the fees at the marina are relatively low as will be the subsequent profits. All that said, there really are no other options, and as far as I know, a percentage of the marina fees goes to CRT (not sure exactly what percentage) so it isn't just the licence fee difference. 

 

Edit: not every marina provides the same facilities. The logic would suggest that boaters out from their home mooring should take their rubbish home with them rather than put it in a bin - leaving them for just CCs. This may be correct and it may be something you do, but I suspect the vast majority of boaters don't.

Edited May 5 by RickS

[Bristolfashion]

17 hours ago, RickS said:

All good points. That is possibly why the fees at the marina are relatively low as will be the subsequent profits. All that said, there really are no other options, and as far as I know, a percentage of the marina fees goes to CRT (not sure exactly what percentage) so it isn't just the licence fee difference. 

Network access fee,

 

From the CRT ....

 

"The annual fee payable to us is calculated by multiplying your mooring rate (the rate charged to customers mooring in your marina) by an agreed gross mooring capacity (GMC) and then taking 9% of the resultant figure. Read our code of practice for determining GMC."

 

I can understand CRT focussing on the absolute essentials in these cash strapped times - the usage of CRT facilities by those not paying for them has been increasing, damage (and the consequent repair costs) is also up. On the other side, most boaters have toilet & shower facilities on board.

 

We've probably all seen the figure of (up to) £6000 for a severe sanitary blockage caused by improper use.

 

I watched a van dweller pull up, dump two big bags of rubbish & fill up with water the other day, something CRT can't really afford.

Edited May 5 by Bristolfashion

[ditchcrawler]

7 hours ago, Bristolfashion said:

Network access fee,

 

From the CRT ....

 

"The annual fee payable to us is calculated by multiplying your mooring rate (the rate charged to customers mooring in your marina) by an agreed gross mooring capacity (GMC) and then taking 9% of the resultant figure. Read our code of practice for determining GMC."

 

I can understand CRT focussing on the absolute essentials in these cash strapped times - the usage of CRT facilities by those not paying for them has been increasing, damage (and the consequent repair costs) is also up. On the other side, most boaters have toilet & shower facilities on board.

 

We've probably all seen the figure of (up to) £6000 for a severe sanitary blockage caused by improper use.

 

I watched a van dweller pull up, dump two big bags of rubbish & fill up with water the other day, something CRT can't really afford.

The Broads Authority have solved the problem, The only have waste disposal at their Yacht Stations Yacht stations and staffed moorings

[pete23]

Toilets at the end of the Welford arm now closed and locked.
Staff/volunteers have their own keys for the locks that have been changed. 

[Mike Todd]

3 hours ago, pete23 said:

Toilets at the end of the Welford arm now closed and locked.
Staff/volunteers have their own keys for the locks that have been changed. 

As per current policy almost all have now closed. One exception is the block at Foxton car park but given the parking charge I guess someone thought that they ought to offer something in return.

[ditchcrawler]

We found the ones at Norbury open this week 

[Mike Todd]

The one at Watford top lock was also open but, the volunteers said  was because the lock had not been changed and they needed to use it. When someone can find a new lock it too will bd actually as well as officially closed to the public, although maintained so long as the locks remain staffed. 

[StephenA]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

We found the ones at Norbury open this week 

 

The CRT ones or the Boatyard ones?

[ditchcrawler]

6 minutes ago, StephenA said:

 

The CRT ones or the Boatyard ones?

The brick building near the pub opposite the boat yard with the Elsan at the back. Looks more like an office than a loo

[Jen-in-Wellies]

The new topic about the Welford Arm bogs has been merged into this one.

Jen