CRT Fazeley Office Closure

[Heartland]

The BCNS has provided alternative boat facilities details following the closure of the CRT office at Fazeley. A pertinent question is why was the closure made?

[cuthound]

12 minutes ago, Heartland said:

The BCNS has provided alternative boat facilities details following the closure of the CRT office at Fazeley. A pertinent question is why was the closure made?

To reduce their overheads by closing the office and relocating the staff into another CRT building, rather than having two half full offices. Same as dozens of other organisations do (Post Offices, Banks etc).

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/changes-to-canal-and-river-trust-midlands

 

[Tim Lewis]

38 minutes ago, Heartland said:

The BCNS has provided alternative boat facilities details following the closure of the CRT office at Fazeley. A pertinent question is why was the closure made?

BCNS??

CRT have arranged alternative facilities at Fazeley Mill Marina

Tim

[nicknorman]

19 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

BCNS??

CRT have arranged alternative facilities at Fazeley Mill Marina

Tim

“...boat facilities details” - not the same as “boat facilities”.

[pearley]

1 hour ago, cuthound said:

To reduce their overheads by closing the office and relocating the staff into another CRT building, rather than having two half full offices. Same as dozens of other organisations do (Post Offices, Banks etc).

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/changes-to-canal-and-river-trust-midlands

 

Following the change in Regional boundaries after the abolition of Central Shires Region. 

[john6767]

55 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

“...boat facilities details” - not the same as “boat facilities”.

True, but have not CRT made the arrangements with the marina,?    CRT also made the information public, via the "stoppage" notice mechanism.  What did BCNS do?

[archie57]

1 hour ago, cuthound said:

To reduce their overheads by closing the office and relocating the staff into another CRT building, rather than having two half full offices. Same as dozens of other organisations do (Post Offices, Banks etc).

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/changes-to-canal-and-river-trust-midlands

 

...and I thought it was because the ashtrays were full......

[cuthound]

Just now, archie57 said:

...and I thought it was because the ashtrays were full......

Personally I would rather they reduce the number of office properties they own and use the proceeds of selling them off to maintain the navigation.

[nicknorman]

1 hour ago, john6767 said:

True, but have not CRT made the arrangements with the marina,?    CRT also made the information public, via the "stoppage" notice mechanism.  What did BCNS do?

I’m guessing that the OP received the information via the BCNS.

[john6767]

53 minutes ago, cuthound said:

Personally I would rather they reduce the number of office properties they own and use the proceeds of selling them off to maintain the navigation.

Do CRT actually own any of the offices, I would have thought that they would be leased?

[cuthound]

 

5 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Do CRT actually own any of the offices, I would have thought that they would be leased?

They definately owned their Watford offices, before selling up and moving to Milton Keynes.

Given they have a property department and inherited many buildings when they took over from BW I think it is likely they own at the very least the canalside properties.

[MHS]

1 hour ago, cuthound said:

Personally I would rather they reduce the number of office properties they own and use the proceeds of selling them off to maintain the navigation.

Or better still, retain them to rent out and spend the long term income on maintenance. 

[pearley]

1 hour ago, MHS said:

Or better still, retain them to rent out and spend the long term income on maintenance. 

The sale particulars for the Fazeley office implied that CRT were selling a leasehold and ground rent would be payable to them. 

[Allan(nb Albert)]

5 hours ago, Heartland said:

The BCNS has provided alternative boat facilities details following the closure of the CRT office at Fazeley. A pertinent question is why was the closure made?

I will ignore the first sentence ...

Regarding the second, there are multiple reasons - some of which have already been touched on. By way of background, you may wish to read - 


Bye Bye Milton Keynes ... Hello Birmingham?

On the purely financial side, C&RT owned the freehold of an operational property, Peels Wharf, at Fradley. It also owned the freehold of Aqua House, a non-operational property, which was largely empty. It would make financial sense to sell or lease the Fradley site and for C&RT to pay themselves rent on the Birmingham site.

Time will tell if C&RT's Head Office moves from Milton Keynes to Birmingham. Suffice to say, C&RT needs a larger presence in Birmingham due to the Icknield Port Loop project.

 

 

[MHS]

1 hour ago, pearley said:

The sale particulars for the Fazeley office implied that CRT were selling a leasehold and ground rent would be payable to them. 

And the ground rent could be peanuts. Better to hang on to the property and get the full market rent. 

[Allan(nb Albert)]

1 hour ago, pearley said:

The sale particulars for the Fazeley office implied that CRT were selling a leasehold and ground rent would be payable to them. 

The sale particulars I have seen say -

Quote

The buildings and site present a rare opportunity to acquire either a freehold office building or potential redevelopment opportunity.

 

[pearley]

11 hours ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

The sale particulars I have seen say -

 

Yes they do, I really should have reread the particulars before posting. But they also say this

The Canal & River Trust own the site freehold and the site will be offered with vacant possession.

Edited November 7, 2017 by pearley

[Heartland]

I just happened to pick up on the Birmingham Canal Navigation Society notice before any CRT.

The team there are dedicated to passing on boating information regarding their network, and Peel Wharf is on their network. There is no need to rubbish what they do!

The comments made on this site about CRT are so far useful, however. Whether the move will be in the long term have a practical value, can only be hoped for.

As to the Icknield Port project will this currently odious eyesore covered in graffiti and a no go area for walkers see contractors working there to improve this site?