Boat hire businesses in Doldrums

THOUGH we are told that the boat hire business is booming, and making up for a fall in private boating, research has found the opposite to be true, as Kevin McNiff has discovered.

Having read the Forum reports about Mr Dare's comments, the hire business is definitely in need of support, Kevin writes.

Produced alarming results

Since being out and about from May, I have noted just how few hire boats are out. It's very quiet on the Cut generally, and a quick online check of available boats during the summer holiday season has produced quite alarming results.

This week alone, 272 six berth boats are available, and it is about the same throughout August. If you look at pricing—up to £2,500 for 12 berth boats—this could be one reason in this economically challenging time.

Offering discounts

Anglo Welsh are currently offering 40% discounts on holidays. Perhaps if hire companies dropped their prices the rot may be stopped in time or they'll go the same way as boat builders.

We actually need hire craft to help keep the canals in a useable state,
and they are the ones who go past slowly—in the main, but we won't go there again!