Mooring Vacancy

[seaandland]

At Park Lane Services Endon Stoke, Caldon Canal. A B/W sign as just gone up there advertising mooring vacancy’s, contact; Diane Lever 01606 723800

[sueb]

I thought all BW moorings had to go through the moorings tender system. Is BW running two systems now?

Sue

[alan_fincher]

I thought all BW moorings had to go through the moorings tender system. Is BW running two systems now?

Sue

No.

 

Link to Waterscape Mooring Vacany

[Dekazer]

I don't know if Engineers Wharf was the last of its kind, but there were several vacancies there, not on the tender system, until November 2008.

 

The marina was opened in July 2007 and remained unfilled until about 3 weeks ago. The final 5 berths were tendered. The first two of these were put for tender in November 2008, the second two in February 2009, and the final one in April 2009.

 

If you ask me it was done quite sneakily - they were put up in a staggered drip-feed, but no one would admit how many were going to be tendered, which pushed people into bidding higher than they might have.

 

I think a lot of people hadn't taken the initiative to contact BW before November - if they had they could have got a berth for £5250. As it was, the first tendered one went for £9250. Bit of a jump overnight. Of course some people might have been tied into something else and so not able to afford a mooring until after November, but the point stands.

 

Had BW advertised the moorings in the same way as they advertised the tenders, the berths might not have remained empty for so long but no one would have had to use the flawed blind bidding system.

[g-man]

If you ask me it was done quite sneakily - they were put up in a staggered drip-feed, but no one would admit how many were going to be tendered, which pushed people into bidding higher than they might have.

 

I think they are drip feeding the tenders out too, near me there are 3-4 vacancies but they only ever seem to offer one at a time. Invariably they go for more than the guide price which then has a knock on effect for the next tender as the price goes up and up. I dread to think what mooring costs will be like in another 2-3 years of this system.

[Bones]

I think they are drip feeding the tenders out too, near me there are 3-4 vacancies but they only ever seem to offer one at a time. Invariably they go for more than the guide price which then has a knock on effect for the next tender as the price goes up and up. I dread to think what mooring costs will be like in another 2-3 years of this system.

 

 

I have heard of a few moorings that should be available in my area but they still haven't been tendered, so I have written to ask BW what their policy is.

[Proper Job]

It would be interesting to get an 'update' on BW's policy for moorings anyway.

 

I thought they were changing to an open tender style of bidding (like fleaBay)?

 

There are moorings around that appear empty, but BW seem inept at being able to get these mooring back on the market quickly and start getting the revenue for them. In the mean time an 'illegal' moorer turns up and they have to start the process of getting them off the mooring. That in turn, takes more money/time and results in more lost revenue.

 

They hold a virtual monopoly on many of the moorings around the system, but cannot seem to administer the efficiently or effectively

 

Rant over

[Dekazer]

I think they are drip feeding the tenders out too, near me there are 3-4 vacancies but they only ever seem to offer one at a time. Invariably they go for more than the guide price which then has a knock on effect for the next tender as the price goes up and up. I dread to think what mooring costs will be like in another 2-3 years of this system.

 

At our place the price fell and fell actually - I think the rich people won the first couple, then the less well off amongst us were able to snap up the rest. They still all went for more than the guide price though, and the guide price for the final 3 was raised - probably in light of the high price the first few went for.

 

I think an additional reason for doing it is that people who are registered on Waterscape get an email notification of a new tender beiong added - they DON'T get emails about current vacancies. when a new tender (even a previously empty mooring) is emailed in this way, there is a flurry of interest from people who hadn't taken the initiative to find out about the vacancy. By not advertising existing vacancies, BW are presenting a fake proof that tendering produces increased interest. It's flawed logic, and depends on people being lazy.

[Bones]

It would be interesting to get an 'update' on BW's policy for moorings anyway.

 

 

are you going to ask them?

[Robbo]

I thought all BW moorings had to go through the moorings tender system. Is BW running two systems now?

Sue

 

Up here in Leeds / Clarence Dock the moorings are been tendered, but no-ones going for them. You'll be able to get one without going via the tender system (including Residential ones).

[alan_fincher]

It would be interesting to get an 'update' on BW's policy for moorings anyway.

 

I thought they were changing to an open tender style of bidding (like fleaBay)?

 

 

are you going to ask them?

 

If you read the mooring page information on waterscape it says....

 

* Update on BW mooring vacancies – switching to open auction system *

Following the public consultation last year, BW announced that it will replace the closed tender system with open auctions of vacancies at BW’s long term mooring sites. Work is well underway and BW’s web developer hopes the new system will be ready for testing during June. BW would like to recruit a few volunteers to help complete a series of specific test assignments to be emailed in mid June. If you’re interested, please keep an eye on this home page for more information, or email mooring_vacancies.enquiries@britishwaterways.co.uk

[/quote.

 

So if they stick to what that says, it should be moving from the sealed bids system to a more open system quite soon.

 

I'm not saying it will, just pointing out that text, so please don't shoot the messenger!

 

Alan

[Bones]

I'm not saying it will, just pointing out that text, so please don't shoot the messenger!

 

Alan

 

 

bang bang

[RLWP]

.......Work is well underway and BW's web developer hopes the new system will be ready for testing during June.....

 

 

Alan

 

Does this mean that the only way to get a mooring will be through the internet? Can they really do that?

 

Richard

[Lady Muck]

I think a lot of people hadn't taken the initiative to contact BW before November - if they had they could have got a berth for £5250. As it was, the first tendered one went for £9250. Bit of a jump overnight. Of course some people might have been tied into something else and so not able to afford a mooring until after November, but the point stands.

 

 

I know someone from there who decided to cc instead because they thought it was such a rip-off. I tend to agree.

[Dekazer]

I know someone from there who decided to cc instead because they thought it was such a rip-off. I tend to agree.

 

It depends what you want I suppose As evidenced elsewhere, some people like the convenience and mod cons (and Council Tax bills and whatnot), while others prefer something cheap. hearteningly, most of the people there do seem to get out on their boats pretty regularly. After our few days away last week, however, I'm pushed to think of many other places in London I'd want to moor, and none that are available (to my primitive search methods...)

 

The main thing that bothers me, in this context, is the sneaky way BW went about the process, and seem still to be doing elsewhere.

Edited June 9, 2009 by Dekazer

[alan_fincher]

Does this mean that the only way to get a mooring will be through the internet? Can they really do that?

 

Richard

Dunno,

 

Has the current process been available other than via the internet ?

 

Even if you can bid without the Net, can you actually get notified, or browse what's available without a computer.

 

(I don't know, because I've never tried).

[Lady Muck]

It depends what you want I suppose As evidenced elsewhere, some people like the convenience and mod cons (and Council Tax bills and whatnot), while others prefer something cheap. hearteningly, most of the people there do seem to get out on their boats pretty regularly. After our few days away last week, however, I'm pushed to think of many other places in London I'd want to moor, and none that are available (to my primitive search methods...)

 

The main thing that bothers me, in this context, is the sneaky way BW went about the process, and seem still to be doing elsewhere.

 

Yes, well it sucks doesn't it?