IT WAS back in March 2021 that the resident boaters moored at Bridgwater Docks on the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal had orders to quit.
The reason being that the docks' lease had expired, but the ten boaters were allowed to stay without payment under an 'approved extended stay’ arrangement', with its council owners stipulating all boats must leave after the lease expires.
Found alterative moorings
Nine of the boaters have found alternative moorings but that belonging to Margaret Hopcroft has not.
The local newspaper has taken up her cause under the banner 'Victimised' canal boat owner forced to move out of Somerset'. Stating:
'Ms Hopcroft—who is currently on long-term sick leave—is now being evicted from the canal after efforts to secure her a permanent mooring place came to nothing. Under the current law, no canal boat can be moored in the same place for a continuous period of 14 days or more unless it has the necessary licence for a home mooring'.
Continuous cruiser
She is obviously a continuous cruiser, yet has been in the docks a year and a half.
Her narrowboat Maggie May is being transported by Canal & River Trust onto the Kennet & Avon Canal near Devizes, as the docks must be cleared.
The problem is the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal is only 13.5 miles long so is not sufficient for normal continuous cruising and the nature of the canal means that options for extra permanent moorings are limited.