Lack of dredging harmed festival

THE organisers of the Slough Canal Festival are blaming lack of dredging as the reason so few boats attended last year.

Only five boats attended the festival at Slough on the Slough Arm of the Grand Union Canal last year, the lowest ever, and now Slough Borough Council and the Friends of Slough Canal are demanding that British Waterways dredge the waterway and clear the weeds in time for this year's festival, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Disappointment

The festival was well attended by the public but there was disappointment at the lack of boats with a spokesman for the Friends of Slough Canal, remarking:

"The festival is well attended locally by people from the town and surrounding area. The real problem is getting boats there down the canal. It is because of the state of the canal people don't come because it's difficult for the boats to get through."

Not dredged

He pointed out that though weeds had been cleared the Arm had not been dredged 'for some considerable time'.

There will be a 'clearance party' on Saturday 31sr March, with the Friends hoping that British Waterways will help.