I was most pleased to see that Kevin McNiff had highlighted the issue of boats mooring on the water points at Alrewas, which is too common an occurrence these days, writes Helen Cripps.
As a long time boater who often cruises through Alrewas I often see boats not only moored blocking the two water points but on the lock landing as well, in the past both Shakespeare Line and Canaltime boats being regular culprits.
Two on lock moorings
Luckily Shakespeare Line went bust and Canaltime are now not so many, but though the water point was free of boats when I cruised through the village a fortnight ago there were two boats on the lock moorings, an Aqua hire boat and a private boat, together leaving no space to moor for the lock. I wonder if the hirers are given proper instructions on where they can moor, or perhaps they just don't care, as obviously the owners of the private boat doesn't as the one Kevin showed on the water points doesn't either.
I maintain the problem of so many boats moored at Alrewas started when the then British Waterways built the winding hole just below Bagnall Lock, which meant boaters could come up the Trent & Mersey, wind in the hole then moor in the village.
This means that at week-ends and in the holiday period there are simply more boats than spaces, and very few want to drop down through Alrewas Lock and moor on the river.