NOTWITHSTANDING hiking mooring fees by a colossal 16% last year, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority is upping them another 4% at its Springfield Marina, and now told its moorers that it is to close their popular clubroom.
This has caused outrage amongst the moorers, as nothing is ever put out for discussion, and it was learned that the decision regarding the closure of the clubroom was made last year yet kept secret until just two weeks ago. The Authority want to turn it into a chandlery.
No consultation
The hike of 16% made last year, with the new 4% increase for this year is way out of proportion with the rest of the country, and again there was no consultation, just a formal notice. Many marinas throughout the system, in view of the lack of inflation, have made no increases in their mooring charges.
The closure of the clubroom has left furious berth holders demanding to know why it is being closed, without warning though the Authority made pledges last year it would not do so. Searching through the minutes of meetings there are no references or evidence of discussion or consultation in publicly available documents, and no reference to a change of use for the clubroom to be turned into a chandlery in the Authority's published business plans for 2016-17.
Kicked-out
A moorer at the marina, who firmly believed he/she will be kicked-out, should we publish the name told us:
"We were asked to return our signed mooring agreements under threat of penalty this year and at no time were given any indication of the clubroom closure. So what we are doing is paying the authority to close our facilities down, without consultation, without notice."
Proposals by the Authority to turn the the clubroom into a chandlery have been met with scorn by berth-holders, with our informant adding:
"It would have been a great idea to consult with boaters about such a venture but that's not happened. We haven't seen any marketing research or a business plan that justifies losing the income from the clubroom and replacing it with income from a chandlery."
Use rowing club facilities
In a further ironic touch, moorers may have to book community facilities across the canal in the Lea Rowing Club to continue their activities.
Moorers at Springfield Marina have asked the Authority to suspend its decision to close the clubroom for a period of consultation, but so far this has been ignored.