A lifeless canal

[BlueStringPudding]

Berkhampstead this morning. Depressing and coming to a canal near you soon.

That's unusual for Berko. Shame because the many really nice restaurants and boutiquey shops aren't benefiting from the custom of boaters mooring there this week. I wonder whether the local resturanteurs and council will twig that they've lost a customer base due to CaRT frightening off anyone who wants to moor for more than a day or so.

[GUMPY]

Apart from one or two establishments I doubt they would miss the Trade, I know we cant afford to eat or shop other than at waitrose in Berko.

[Tuscan]

That's unusual for Berko. Shame because the many really nice restaurants and boutiquey shops aren't benefiting from the custom of boaters mooring there this week. I wonder whether the local resturanteurs and council will twig that they've lost a customer base due to CaRT frightening off anyone who wants to moor for more than a day or so.

That is a lovely image of some of the old boaters queuing up at the Waitrose check out prior to having a quick look in the boutique shops prior to cocktails at the local fancy restaurant. Obviously a different class of long term resident as when I stayed there for a while it was a pint in the Riser or Chrystal Palace and a cheap take away but that was a while ago now. My mate still rates the charity shops though.

[jenlyn]

Oh I was out And missed you

They left a year or so ago, I didnt say they were still there.

I Have to say the new enforcement from CRT has worked wonders.

Oh ok, so you do like to exagerate and tell it how it is........

[jenlyn]

Apart from one or two establishments I doubt they would miss the Trade, I know we cant afford to eat or shop other than at waitrose in Berko.

I thought The Gatsby was quite reasonable, and one simply cannot miss lunch at Cafe Rouge when its so local.

[Guest]

I thought The Gatsby was quite reasonable, and one simply cannot miss lunch at Cafe Rouge when its so local.

Cafe Rouge???

 

I realise now where all the boats have gone, to get some decent grub....

[jenlyn]

Cafe Rouge???

I realise now where all the boats have gone, to get some decent grub....

Aha, north south divide again.......

[nicknorman]

Berkhampstead this morning. Depressing and coming to a canal near you soon.

I suppose it depends on whether you think life is given to a canal by having lines of moored boats with or without occupiers, or whether it is given by having boats moving on the system. That said it does seem to be a bit quiet at the moment, but I can't see how that can relate to mooring issues. Edited May 6, 2013 by nicknorman

[GUMPY]

Cafe Rouge???

I realise now where all the boats have gone, to get some decent grub....

Indeed just another carp chain eatery.

My local village pubs serve better food.

[Guest]

Aha, north south divide again.......

I thought they were a chain and hence the standards and quality are supposed to be consistent, rather like maccy d's

[jenlyn]

I suppose it depends on whether you think life is given to a canal by having lines of moored boats with or without occupiers, or whether it is given by having boats moving on the system. That said it does seem to be a bit quiet at the moment, but I can't see how that can relate to mooring issues.

A canal, in the heart of a town, empty. This is before the new visitor mooring signs go up. Begs the question, are the SEVM proposals worth the expense gone into them? Half a million pounds.

A sledgehammer reaction?

 

Indeed just another carp chain eatery.

My local village pubs serve better food.

Hmmmm, uneducated pallet I suspect.

[cotswoldsman]

Indeed just another carp chain eatery.

My local village pubs serve better food.

I imagine Cafe Rouge are quite pleased about that. They try and cater for people with some understanding of dinning out, they are not catering for the pie and mash clientele.

[RLWP]

What's wrong with pie and mash?

 

Richard

[jenlyn]

What's wrong with pie and mash?

 

Richard

They shut the pie and mash shop in Greenwich, that really peed me off.

[frangar]

I suppose cafe rouge is ok if you like hearing the ping of the microwave before you dine.......

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Guest]

I imagine Cafe Rouge are quite pleased about that. They try and cater for people with some understanding of dinning out, they are not catering for the pie and mash clientele.

That is one of the funniest things I have read on here in very long time....

[BlueStringPudding]

That is a lovely image of some of the old boaters queuing up at the Waitrose check out prior to having a quick look in the boutique shops prior to cocktails at the local fancy restaurant. Obviously a different class of long term resident as when I stayed there for a while it was a pint in the Riser or Chrystal Palace and a cheap take away but that was a while ago now. My mate still rates the charity shops though.

I was neither talking about "long term residents" nor "old boaters". By making a change in regulation that enabled CaRT to forceably remove those types of boater, they've clearly put off all the other boaters. Where are the shiny boaters in those photos? Where are boaters who work for a living and have a disposable income? (Believe it or not we're not all a stereotype impoverished vagrant category of boater. And I for one am well up for a cocktail or twelve, a Thai meal and a stroll by the canal in Berko. )

[jenlyn]

I was neither talking about "long term residents" nor "old boaters". By making a change in regulation that enabled CaRT to forceably remove those types of boater, they've clearly put off all the other boaters. Where are the shiny boaters in those photos? Where are boaters who work for a living and have a disposable income? (Believe it or not we're not all a stereotype impoverished vagrant category of boater. And I for one am well up for a cocktail or twelve, a Thai meal and a stroll by the canal in Berko. )

You forgot cafe rouge.

[cotswoldsman]

What's wrong with pie and mash?

 

Richard

Nothing I like a bit of Game Pie ..........

[RLWP]

What wine would you recommend with that?

 

Richard

[adam1uk]

I was neither talking about "long term residents" nor "old boaters". By making a change in regulation that enabled CaRT to forceably remove those types of boater, they've clearly put off all the other boaters. Where are the shiny boaters in those photos? Where are boaters who work for a living and have a disposable income? (Believe it or not we're not all a stereotype impoverished vagrant category of boater. And I for one am well up for a cocktail or twelve, a Thai meal and a stroll by the canal in Berko. )

 

My guess would be that the boater who spent last night there have moved off, and the ones who'll spend tonight there hadn't yet arrived. Isn't it often the case with visitor moorings that they're a bit empty during the day -- that's when people are boating.

[Tuscan]

I was neither talking about "long term residents" nor "old boaters". By making a change in regulation that enabled CaRT to forceably remove those types of boater, they've clearly put off all the other boaters. Where are the shiny boaters in those photos? Where are boaters who work for a living and have a disposable income? (Believe it or not we're not all a stereotype impoverished vagrant category of boater. And I for one am well up for a cocktail or twelve, a Thai meal and a stroll by the canal in Berko. )

We do miss the smileys on the iPad, thought the humour angle in my post was obvious. Sorry if it wasnt.

 

There is as yet no change in regulation , there is no evidence of boaters being forceably removed so there must presumably just be a case of CRT using the existing regulations and the boaters (many of whom I assume work and have disposable incomes) deciding to comply with the 14 day rule. You have a point though it was always a popular destination for a long weekend, especially with a good weather forecast so perhaps people were put off with the perceived difficulty of mooring or maybe safely leaving the boat between weekends. It's been pretty busy in the midlands.

[cotswoldsman]

What wine would you recommend with that?

 

Richard

Chateau Mouton Rothchild 1998 was a good year

[matty40s]

There was never a problem mooring in Berko in my experience, I was down the SE from 2009 to 2011 and never had a problem getting a spot somewhere on that stretch or somewhere lower down.

Looking at that stretch looks like slash and burn philosophy.

I was installing solar panels in Milton Keynes on Thursday from 7.30am to 2.30pm, in all that time - 3 boats passed, on a glorious sunny day.

People are watching the pennies, they can't afford to move as ofetn as they previously did. This is not just boaters , but everyone. CaRT clearing sites like this may lead to the end for businesses such as the Crystal Palace /Rising Sun(unlikely) and maybe take-aways.

 

Jenlyn's photo is a snapshot of a normally bustling canal scene looking like a morgue - many people/families/kids in Berko visit the canal to see the boats and feed the ducks.

No boats, less visits, less visits, less local revenue - it's not just the boaters who spend the money.

This will be repeated more and more everywhere, and there is no need for it.

[jenlyn]

 

My guess would be that the boater who spent last night there have moved off, and the ones who'll spend tonight there hadn't yet arrived. Isn't it often the case with visitor moorings that they're a bit empty during the day -- that's when people are boating.

Its been like that all weekend. 9 boats have been through here since friday 1500hrs.