Will a membership scheme work?

I JUST cannot understand how Mick Fitzgibbons believes that Canal & River Trust can become a membership organisation, as it has absolutely nothing to offer, writes Jim Cracken.

 

Why should anyone pay to visit the waterways, they can do it already, and who these days wants to visit the waterways full as they are with scruffy boats with their roofs loaded with junk, which is what I see more and more.

Great initiative

In the past the National Trust has been mentioned, but it offers hundreds of places to visit, and as they are free to members, it is a great initiative to join. What has the waterways to offer in England? You can only visit the Anderton Boat Lift or the Foxton Flight so many times before they begin to pall. And there is little else.

And a membership to actually visit the canals is impossible with thousands of entrances to police, and I could imagine what the cycling organisation would say about that.

Handy towpaths

We all know that very few people actually visit the canals as a definite reason, but are people taking short cuts or walking their dogs, simply because the towpaths are handy.

I would he most pleased to have Mr Fitzgibbons explain how he would actually raise money from a membership scheme, as for the life of me, I can't see it. The Canal & River Trust has already shown by its 'Friends' scheme falling so short of expectations that it does not work.