Disappointment at lock visits

THERE has been disappointment at the number of visitors to the three lock chambers that were thrown open to the public last weekend.

The idea was for the public to see the work Canal & River Trust is doing, and at the same time allow people to descend into the actual drained lock chambers.

Last weekend three locks were open to the public—Bulholme, (pictured) Welshpool and Hillmorton.

CaRT have quoted 1,450 total visitors across all three, but we were only told about Bulholme and its 1,000 visitors, that left the other two with only 450 visitors between them.

Star attraction

However it was Hillmorton on the Oxford Canal that was meant to be the star attraction because of the poetry on the lock gates, but it had the least of them all, at a meagre 150 visitors all day.

Yet in January, Bingley on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal attracted more than 7,000 over two days. This number was given to a parliamentary committee as proof that the public were very interested in waterways.

Deeply disappointing

The number last Sunday, that was a fine day, must be deeply disappointing for CaRT, and as for the 'potty poetry', it seems CaRT played this down at Hillmorton following adverse comments.

A handout at the lock giving the history at the site did not even mention it!  Perhaps realising it wasn't such a good idea after all...