Barby Moorings and the Trade Description Act!!!!??

[Annie Girl]

Dad has just been to the new Barby Marina on the Oxford. Descibed as having showers, laundry, cafe, pump out etc. On arrival at his temporary bankside mooring (no pontoons fitted as yet)he found only electric hook up, no water and none of the afore mentioned facilites. He was also told he would have to pay full mooring fees straight away.

Can they do this? Isn't it against the trade description act to advertise these facilities which do not exist yet and charge the full amount? Needless to say dad couldn't get out fast enough.

[Guest]

He was also told he would have to pay full mooring fees straight away.

 

and I would do exactly the same too - ie tell 'em to take a running jump.

 

This marina does seem to be a long time coming to fruition....

[Proper Job]

.......... and will probably be a long time in finishing off?

[Ally]

I know another marina did that....

[Guest]

Their web site makes interesting reading as you would believe all the facilities were all up and running....

 

the latest photos (which seem to be taken in July 2011 seem to tell a different story.

Edited September 6, 2011 by MJG

[Humphrey]

Regarding Barby Moorings, I have also heard the electric is only on during the day, turned off in the evening until morning and only 2 water points??

[AJLintern]

Well you'd think they might charge a reduced rate while the work is ongoing. Depends if they have lots of people interested in mooring there who don't mind paying the full amount I suppose... supply & demand and all that.

[Guest]

Well you'd think they might charge a reduced rate while the work is ongoing. Depends if they have lots of people interested in mooring there who don't mind paying the full amount I suppose... supply & demand and all that.

 

That is certainly what I would expect - full rate, no way.

[Proper Job]

They probably need the income stream from mooring fees to be able to afford to finish it off?

[c c]

We had two boaters in the bar last week, consoling each other saying they had each paid in advance but their mooring was not ready with any facilities and could not get any refund.

Does seem a shame. Will this be an addition to BW Marinas Co ?

[Guest]

They probably need the income stream from mooring fees to be able to afford to finish it off?

 

Perhaps - but why should the early adopters pay for something they are not getting?? - their business model is all to cock to my way of thinking. They should be encouraging uptake by offering a staged discount which diminishes as the faculties increase.

 

We had two boaters in the bar last week, consoling each other saying they had each paid in advance but their mooring was not ready with any facilities and could not get any refund.

Does seem a shame. Will this be an addition to BW Marinas Co ?

 

On the other hand I would never pay in advance if I can avoid it - nor would I take up a permanent mooring in any marina (or anywhere else for that matter) if I haven't visited it first and physically stood on the pontoon where I'm going to be.

 

To do otherwise is a bit naive.

 

 

 

..

Edited September 6, 2011 by MJG

[Tonka]

Perhaps they need the money to pay the fine thay should be getting for filling the marina with water without BW's permission

[grahoom]

Dad has just been to the new Barby Marina on the Oxford. Descibed as having showers, laundry, cafe, pump out etc. On arrival at his temporary bankside mooring (no pontoons fitted as yet)he found only electric hook up, no water and none of the afore mentioned facilites. He was also told he would have to pay full mooring fees straight away.

 

 

Their web-site says

 

All Fees are charged quarterly or monthly in advance.

 

http://www.barbymoorings.co.uk/Fees.htm

[Bob18]

Perhaps your dad should consider a letter to trading standards.

[Tim]

I would suggest he looks elsewhere, plenty of choice in that area.

[DaveG]

Regrettably, we also appear to have been conned by these people. We paid a deposit twelve months ago when the marina was due to open last January, since when we have been fobbed off by various excuses for the delays which, in retrospect, appear to have been untrue. We saw the announcement on their website in August whilst we were out on our summer cruise saying they were now open, and the amenities page states quite clearly that everything is up and running. So, we were pleasantly surprised, not least as we had been keeping the boat on EA waters and it meant we didn't have to slog back down Rotherhithe locks. We arrived to find there is absolutely nothing there other than some bits of homemade decking stuck on one bank and an awful lot of mud! There are no pontoons and the only facility is one tap between everyone. The electricity is from a generator which is turned off each evening....and they claim to be an ecological marina! We were plonked on one of these homemade decks to find the marina is too shallow to get up to the edge.

 

However, within 10 minutes of arriving, we were presented with an advance invoice up to December, even though they've had an interest-free loan from us for 12 months! No apology for the state of the place or anything. And at the full rate based on the provision of non-existent facilities. Rather than get into a debate on our first day, we came home and mulled things over. A photo then appeared on their site showing another boat has been breasted up next to ours so we are now sharing the mooring we were given. Moreover, the "new" arrival had been moored bankside and our boat moved outside his. It would also appear from the photo that our landline cable is now in the water passing underneath the stern deck of the new arrival - this is why I was trying to find the owner on here yesterday - if he starts up his engine without noticing it's likely the cable will be sliced-up in the water .....so if you are reading.....

 

I wrote to the owners yesterday expressing concern they had moved my boat without contacting me, and also suggested it was fair to reduce the fees until such time as the marina is actually functioning as I feel it is unreasonable to be paying full whack when there are none of the advertised facilities and my "mooring" is just being breasted up outside another boat.

 

The response? As you're unhappy you can just piss off, or words to that effect. No dialogue, no comment, nothing. Well, I guess apart from being livid I feel something of a fool and a plonker for trusting these people and parting with my cash - at least it now appears we are not alone and I've since become aware of several other very unhappy boaters. You live and learn, but I hope this might act as a cautionary tale to anyone else. There is currently no work being done there (and it looks like there is at least a years worth left) other than the female partner trying to lay some cabling. A shambles!

[alan_fincher]

.........not least as we had been keeping the boat on EA waters and it meant we didn't have to slog back down Rotherhithe locks.

Sounds like quite a long way around!

 

Rothersthorpe, possibly ?

[carlt]

When starting a new enterprise it is always important to make a positive first impression.

 

Has the sweep started, predicting when the next BWML acquisition will happen, yet?

[DaveG]

Sounds like quite a long way around!

 

Rothersthorpe, possibly ?

Indeed! Rotten locks, weeded up cut, but immaculate tarmac towpath !

[tillergirl]

I would suggest its an offence under the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991 and/or The Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994 and seek the advice of either Consumer Direct or the CAB

 

 

 

[DaveG]

"The main building is on two levels with the upper level accommodating a comfortable restaurant / lounge bar overlooking the whole marina". Note the use of the word "is", and there's a lovely interior shot on their website of the bar with nice rustic beams and a fireplace......except no "main building" exists at all!!

[David Mack]

Clicky

 

 

In addition to the 108 moorings, there are plans for the Marina to feature a main building on two levels with the upper level accommodating a comfortable restaurant and lounge bar overlooking the whole marina. The rest of the building opens on to the quayside with showers, toilets, a laundrette and a cafe. Next to this will be the chandlery and general store which will sell anything from bread, milk and the morning papers to engine oil and rope. The quayside will also boast a service dock with diesel, gas, wood, waste disposal, recycling, pump out and sluice facilities. There is also a workshop maintenance area with facilities to do most jobs from an oil change to boat lift out and blacking. There is plenty of secure car parking distributed around the site.

 

The moorings are also fully serviced with electricity, water, wired internet and digital ready TV aerial sockets for every boat. Additionally leisure plots have been created for a number of the moorings with a private garden area alongside the boat.

 

As a result of the facilities and overall plans for the site, Barby Moorings, which will create 14 jobs, is already 85% booked before it is even open.

 

Tony McMaster, Director of Barby Moorings said: "Penny and I are very excited about the way Barby Moorings has developed from an arable field into this amazing marina. We have a real passion about narrow boats and the environment, and wanted to create something that would definitely benefit both. Although our focus was on creating a business which will provide canal boat owners and tourists with the facilities they want, it has already become an important part of the landscape. This has been supported by the fact that we have planted in excess of 2,500 hawthorn bushes recreating an ancient hedge which had been removed from the land many many years ago. The creation of Barby Moorings not only makes economic sense for us, it also supports the local community and enhances the environment."

 

Pass the sick bag, Alice!

[Guest]

is already 85% booked before it is even open.

 

Aside from all the other, shall we call them 'inaccuracies' this one surely has to be an out and out porky very big inaccuracy surely...

[carlt]

...is already 85% booked before it is even open.

If this is true then that's a lot of "non-returnable" £400 deposits unhappy punters have lost.

[DaveG]

"The moorings are also fully serviced with electricity, water, wired internet and digital ready TV aerial sockets for every boat."

 

Even the Royal Bank of Scotland, by use of the present tense in this June press release, gives credence to the lie that the marina has fully functioning moorings. Nice to see the £20billion taxpayer bailout they received has been put to good use!