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Hi Greg,

we had a 2 week holiday on Larch last May.

Larch is really a great boat with the boatmans cabin and its Lister.

 

But:

-It was far from clean when we took it over 2 hours late.

-There are plenty of moving and uncovered engine parts a 4 year old can reach ( propably my fault for hireing a trad ).

-The engine exhaust wasn't sealed at all at the pivoting joint, so the steerer would have all the exhaust right in his face ( we solved this ourselves with empty cans and tape )

-The bow fender was only fixed with 2 chain and came of in the 1st lock.

-After 3 days the starter battery failed. Solution: we were given a jump lead to start the engine with the leasure batteries.

-On our 2nd Sunday the drive shaft came off while we were reversing. Obviously the bearing that stops the drive shaft from going backwards has broken ( sorry forgot the name ). The universal joint between the gearbox and the drive shaft knocked up the floor board the 4 year old was just standing on. Luckily nothing more serious than tears happened. Ringing the hotline I was told its 3 pm on a Sunday and the technichan can't be bothered. So 2 mechanics arrived only on monday morning. Also I told them exactly which part has failed, they missed out on bringing the right one with them. So instead of doing a proper job they spent 2 hours with a makeshift solution involving a lot of jubelee clips and cable ties, as well as sinking one of the floorboards in the drink. Therefore I just took it easy and just didn't use the reverse for our second week.

 

For me atm that means I wouldn't hire from MN again. But then I would also love to hire Larch again if she and the company ethos was brought up to scratch.

 

I wish you all the best for the future of MN.

 

Regards

 

 

odet

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I have never hired from Middlewich Narrowboats and it is some time since I have been past the hire base but, in the past, MN had a reputation for aging, basic craft that were usually more traddy than most other fleets. The impression was that they kept their boats way past the normal sell by date but that this suited a certain type of customer who wanted traddy and basic, but would put many others off because the hire boat market had moved much more up-market by then, leaving MN stuck in the past. It seems to me that MN gradually reduced their market appeal by appealing more and more to hard core enthusiasts rather than the ordinary hirers, as the fleet got older and older.

Ive skimmed the second half of the thread as I've only got a moment but I think this first post very succinctly puts over my understanding of the company, again as someone who has also never hired from them, but passes often and hears plenty.

 

I like the livery and I like the fact that there is someone offering a more basic, cost effective boat, with character, and a decent number of berths, for a reasonable price, all year round. Very few of these left now and while it might not always be a huge cash-cow im sure its a steady return on not much investment, and a very hardy core of customers.

The last few years some of them really have got a bit tatty, and poorly presented, simple things that cost little, and unexplainable things like full pumpouts and engine failures which need reducing.

 

Im 24 and if I was going to hire a boat for a group of people, either uni friends, or a number of people from the young working boat society, middlewich would be on the list. We hired yeoford last summer for the BCN challenge, because it was the right boat at the right price, even if the beds where awful and the toilet a lidded bucket. No 12v sockets let alone 240v or a TV (the beds where a little beyond it and we missed the 12v outlets, but nothing else, we where boating!).

 

If I owned Middlewich I would be aiming to keep the name, and keep the traditional boats in the traditional livery, get them a bit nicer without spending a fortune or going stupid on the price. Theres a lot of history there, and in the main, its good.

But then I would also get a couple the new or (or smart and new to you) boats fitted out to a more modern expectation, with less berths (4, 4+2 or 6 max), and a tweaked livery (in the same colours, but distinguishing them from the others) and price per head to reflect.

 

I would make it very clear that it was under new ownership, but equally clear that while you are seeking to improve in some areas and prehaps offer some newer boats, your very much also planning to keep the tradition of simple and affordable boats alive. Including quite clearly offering boats to younger or single sex groups, if not so explicitly publishing stags&hens on the homepage! Some do however.

 

While we're on it, I also actually quite like the website. Its a bit dated which can be worked on, and I don't like the new logo much, but its very simple and informative, which is a change from glossy photos of the llagollen and a load of PR trash.

 

Not sure where the 'chuggalong' name has come from, but I am not all sure about it!

 

Also, while Im here, welcome to the forum! Thankyou for taking the time to post here, best of luck with Middlewich Boats.

 

 

 

Daniel

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Sensible points, H. How did you find a canalside shop? Mrs. Athy and I were looking for one for ages, even advertised in the small ads of one of the boatimags for one, but got no replies. I never see them up for sale.

 

Well, the present shop was advertised in Waterways World - occasionally they do have adverts for businesses in the property bit of the classified ads. We found the previous one in the 80s only via a local estate agent. It wasn't advertised in the canal magazines.

 

Nowadays, with computers apparently having been invented, I'd suggest that you regularly look at Google, rightmove.co.uk and other property websites. I'm sure that you will be able to search on keywords such as canal. Best of luck!

 

Peter

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I dont think anyone has mentioned that this company was originally "Willow Wren Kearns", somehow involved with the Willow Wren Co of carrying fame. These boats traded in the colours of Willow Wren at least into the early 1980's and were a fleet of 4 - 12 berth hire boats and a 50 seater passenger boat was also owned. This is why the boats had a more treaditional appearance which Chris Cliff (Middlewich narrowboats) pursued, I remember he had one boat built to a very traditional spec by Malcolm Webster.

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I dont think anyone has mentioned that this company was originally "Willow Wren Kearns", somehow involved with the Willow Wren Co of carrying fame. These boats traded in the colours of Willow Wren at least into the early 1980's and were a fleet of 4 - 12 berth hire boats and a 50 seater passenger boat was also owned. This is why the boats had a more treaditional appearance which Chris Cliff (Middlewich narrowboats) pursued, I remember he had one boat built to a very traditional spec by Malcolm Webster.

 

I think Magpie mentioned it in post 37

 

......Personally, and I am biased as my parents lived in Booth Lane for the first five years of my life, but to me Middlewich would not be the same without your hire boat base, I think it was there before I was born trading as Willow Wren Kearns, Dad used to take school parties with them by hiring three seventy foot 12 berth boats, two staff ten kids on each. You've just acquired a piece of heritage as well as a hire fleet.

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I dont think anyone has mentioned that this company was originally "Willow Wren Kearns", somehow involved with the Willow Wren Co of carrying fame. These boats traded in the colours of Willow Wren at least into the early 1980's and were a fleet of 4 - 12 berth hire boats and a 50 seater passenger boat was also owned. This is why the boats had a more treaditional appearance which Chris Cliff (Middlewich narrowboats) pursued, I remember he had one boat built to a very traditional spec by Malcolm Webster.

 

It was actually mentioned in one post ;)

The trip boat was the Asterope.

I think the boat Malcolm built was the Maple, could be wrong on that.

The name Kearns came from Denis Kearns, of the once-famous Kearns machine tool company, known particularly for its horizontal boring machines. His son Ray was also very much involved.

 

Tim

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I dont think anyone has mentioned that this company was originally "Willow Wren Kearns", somehow involved with the Willow Wren Co of carrying fame. These boats traded in the colours of Willow Wren at least into the early 1980's and were a fleet of 4 - 12 berth hire boats and a 50 seater passenger boat was also owned. This is why the boats had a more treaditional appearance which Chris Cliff (Middlewich narrowboats) pursued, I remember he had one boat built to a very traditional spec by Malcolm Webster.

 

I'd agree there is a market for cheap and cheerful, but people do still expect "well presented" as well. You also need to know, if you don't already, that Chas Hardern at Beeston on the Shroppie is reasonably cheap and cheerful, although he's had to take his boats up market a bit as families of four just don't "do" holidays on 30 foot narrow boats any more.Chas serves the same section of the canal network as you, although the extra distance from the Cheshire Ring makes him less attractive for that market. His boats are, however, very different, and from memory are very well presented.Personally, and I am biased as my parents lived in Booth Lane for the first five years of my life, but to me Middlewich would not be the same without your hire boat base, I think it was there before I was born trading as Willow Wren Kearns, Dad used to take school parties with them by hiring three seventy foot 12 berth boats, two staff ten kids on each. You've just acquired a piece of heritage as well as a hire fleet.

 

 

This was Middlewich's niche market and what they did best 10 years ago. There is definitely a market for something different to everyone else. Couldn't agree more that the older boats need a good going over. We're not all philistines, Malcolm Webster built the 'Maple' so it has a place in the hearts of some of us enthusiasts.... B)

 

Try and keep up at the back..... ;)

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It was actually mentioned in one post ;)

The trip boat was the Asterope.

I think the boat Malcolm built was the Maple, could be wrong on that.

The name Kearns came from Denis Kearns, of the once-famous Kearns machine tool company, known particularly for its horizontal boring machines. His son Ray was also very much involved.

 

Tim

 

Was Asterope sister boat to Merope? I seem to recall watching one of Laurence's film on the re-floating of Merope but I could be imagining it ....

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In my neck of the woods both the Middlewich companies have a slightly tarnished reputation because of the desire for speed of their hirers. As for the Middlewich boats ones I know of one firm who has had trouble with them arriving for pumpouts and not obeying the marina rules to wait outside for a staff member to bring them in through the narrow, and easily damaged, entrance.

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We have had quite a few holidays with MN, all I can say is that they were FANTASTIC !!! They have bent over backwards on more than one occasion for us for various reasons that I wont go into.....but any other company would not of gone the extra mile they did i'm sure...

The Traditional NBs are not the modern Des-res, they are a bit older and yes they do break down, but Hey Ho...that happens, we even had the fitter out on Christmas day!!!!

We most certainley will book with them again....as long as the prices don't go up too much!!!!!!! (Chuggers old Boy Please Note ;) )

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  • 2 weeks later...

All, thanks for the tips.

 

We have nearly all of the boats, I think we've lost one of the sponsored vessels i came along too late for him, he's a top man too so I hope to persuade him back one day.

I'm also surveying the boats one by one and I've had to remove one from the fleet so far, Poplar has gone I'm afraid.

 

Chuggy

Gregg,

 

Happy new year, good luck for the year ahead ... having not hired from MW

 

All I can say is that in passing through last September - looking for a Elsan disposal ( listed in the Nicholson guide book as a service the yard offered)

I was greeted with you can't moor there were getting a boat ready for hire - then asking about the elsan service the reply was we don't write the guidebook ! -

 

Hope that the elsan emptying service is up and running for Easter 2012 when we should be passing again with a full loo ...

 

Ian

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Chuggy,

Thank you for the brochure. It made interesting perusal. Two points:

 

The boat pictures and plans are much too small

 

More importantly, has anyone done a spell check on it? It really is quite insulting to know that you can't even spell Llangollen properly. As you can see it should have 4 l's!!

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I know,

Still with the old stock.

It'll be spring/summer before I can get decent photos of the boats. The old owners left me none :( please be patient with me. I have to prioritise the boats so our customers have a good time.

 

Rome wasn't built in a day, I'm going to have to be patient and wait for pre-next season for better brochures.

cheers

Chuggy

PS I’m not Welsh but I have lived close to Llangollen, so I too find this mistake a somewhat ignorant error to say the least, Diolch.

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middlewich narrowboat hires built my shell,which I am more than happy with....I understand the old company people had minor problems..with the hire side of things...you cant please everyone...

 

I paid cash up front....thats the trust I had in the company....so go with it...my shell is now a good narrowboat,tried and tested ..

 

after 3 and a half years the experts still SAY ITS A GOOD SHELL....THE BLOKES WHO DO THE MAINTAINCE AT MIDDLEWICH NARROWBOATS ARE VERY GOOD

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Hi Greg

 

You all have my word that everything you have said will be taken into account as I refurbish each vessel and plan for next season.

I have been interested to read this thread as a lot of what has been put is of interest to me in my current operation and developments I am looking at.

 

However I am intrigued that you seem to be willing to throw money at the business willy-nilly. Have you tried costing out all the investment you seem to be planning and worked out how many years (or decades) it may take to get it back?

 

Your plans sound great, but what experience do you have in this business or are you going to learn the hard way? Can you tell us more about your background and expertise?

 

Whilst I wish you well with a business which I always respected for keeping traditional and characterful boats available for hirers when most companies were going 'modern' and 'up-market', I am interested that you feel you can make a success of a business which has been available for some time, but which nobody else seemed ready to take on. Either you have the skill to revive this once proud business or you will be throwing good money after bad . . .

 

I, like many others here, will watch your progress with interest

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Hi Greg

 

 

I have been interested to read this thread as a lot of what has been put is of interest to me in my current operation and developments I am looking at.

 

However I am intrigued that you seem to be willing to throw money at the business willy-nilly. Have you tried costing out all the investment you seem to be planning and worked out how many years (or decades) it may take to get it back?

 

Your plans sound great, but what experience do you have in this business or are you going to learn the hard way? Can you tell us more about your background and expertise?

 

Whilst I wish you well with a business which I always respected for keeping traditional and characterful boats available for hirers when most companies were going 'modern' and 'up-market', I am interested that you feel you can make a success of a business which has been available for some time, but which nobody else seemed ready to take on. Either you have the skill to revive this once proud business or you will be throwing good money after bad . . .

 

I, like many others here, will watch your progress with interest

 

Isn't it the case that the business has been bought as a going concern and what Chuggers is doing is addressing the customer service, presentation and reliability issues initially, which don't cost a lot more than time and effort?

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Isn't it the case that the business has been bought as a going concern and what Chuggers is doing is addressing the customer service, presentation and reliability issues initially, which don't cost a lot more than time and effort?

It's a bit like Virgin trains what they took over was old and unreliable, took a while for Richard to get a new train set.

It will take time but first steps as you say are to sort what you have now and prove yourself. Right now it would be difficult to find anyone who would be willing to invest in a sponsorship boat with no running track record.

As for the traditional style fleet the boats cost just the same as any other boat to build and a sponsor is looking for a return on investment over the life of that boat so how does he get that with a boat being let out at a lower than average rate?

Edited by Jim Evans
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Just had a look at the website and can see a few pictures have changed round and the boats now grouped not by stern arrangement but by "Heritage", "Comfort" & "Larger Family/Group". I'm puzzled why Larch, a 66ft tug style 6 berth goes under larger/group category though... surely that would be a Heritage style - its not the kind of boat you'd look for or expect to be marketed to a group surely? It also doesnt seem to fit just as its 6 berth, as 6 berths sit in the other categories also... sadly as a result the grading seem a bit irratic and perhaps more confusing than what was there before.

 

Also, the pictures are all over the place. For example I'd expect the internal picture next to Larch to be of that boat, but it isn't.... thats not only poor but also going to lead to disappointment/mis-representation issues, and it is not the only example, the same problem is replicated alongside other boats.

 

Whilst you'll get away with a basic or old fashioned looking website if the content is accurate & it gives and covers everything the customer is looking for, but mis-representations & mis-leading pictures is the last thing you want if you're trying to re-establish a good name

 

Dan

Edited by Dan
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Good luck with the new venture. We cruise that neck of the woods regularly and our experience has been that the previous owners used to hire quite a lot to same sex parties. They have done everything from get stranded on the sunken wall at Billinge Green Flash (quite entertaining watching the arguments develop) to cruising at night in the dark with most crew members on the roof "partying" drunk out of their minds. We were very lucky they did not hit us - they only hit the bridge behind us on that occasion.

With regard to changing the name: does it really matter? Word gets around anyway about new ownership and that could prove to help. New broom and all that....

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Gregg,

 

Happy new year, good luck for the year ahead ... having not hired from MW

 

All I can say is that in passing through last September - looking for a Elsan disposal ( listed in the Nicholson guide book as a service the yard offered)

I was greeted with you can't moor there were getting a boat ready for hire - then asking about the elsan service the reply was we don't write the guidebook ! -

 

Hope that the elsan emptying service is up and running for Easter 2012 when we should be passing again with a full loo ...

 

Ian

I fully agree with Ian on this one. Elsan disposal used to be a goodwill gesture and one which was much appreciated!

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