Disappointed with Bristol!

Allan

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After sailing from Southampton to Cardiff via the isles of Scilly I'm disappointed not to be allowed to enter Bristol harbour. Ironically, I live in the centre of Bristol, so I can't sail home! Never mind a few days in Cardiff and a couple in Portishead will have to do.
Allan
 
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Sneds

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Me to, no reason that I can think of not to let you in, even in the days when you weren’t allowed to sleep on board
When I have, in the past, suggested things to the harbour to encourage more visiting boats I have been met with the reply “we are a port not a marina”
Seems to me the council can’t see what a jewel in the crown the City Docks could and should be
 

Allan

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Why can't you enter Bristol?
(I suppose I could find out if I searched but I'd prefer you to tell me first hand)
They closed the harbour, due to the Coronavirus and are opening it in phases. Phase 4 is allowing visiting boats. They have issued a series of N to M but not one announcing Phase 4. Maybe they have realised that furloughing the staff saves money? I don't know if the Plimsoll bridge has been open since March, but it could be a problem too.
Marvin is not good at communicating!
Allan
 

TwoHooter

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We have been there. Great place to visit but the impression I have always had is that the staff run it for their own benefit. Not the greatest at putting customer service at the forefront of their minds.
Perhaps they are nicer to superyacht owners.
Perhaps I'm wrong and someone will correct me.
But speaking as the chairman of a very long-established statutory company, and the founder of another business in which I remain heavily invested, I would say there is a huge discordance between those enterprises which have made every effort to get up and running to provide their customers with a service (as we have done), and those which are laggardly, condescending, self-centered, and ready to find any excuse not to bother.
 

Allan

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I've been into
We have been there. Great place to visit but the impression I have always had is that the staff run it for their own benefit. Not the greatest at putting customer service at the forefront of their minds.
Perhaps they are nicer to superyacht owners.
Perhaps I'm wrong and someone will correct me.
But speaking as the chairman of a very long-established statutory company, and the founder of another business in which I remain heavily invested, I would say there is a huge discordance between those enterprises which have made every effort to get up and running to provide their customers with a service (as we have done), and those which are laggardly, condescending, self-centered, and ready to find any excuse not to bother.
I've been into Bristol many, many, times. The guys who work the locks, talk on the radio and organise the boats during the harbour festival are fantastic. Marvin and the people at the top couldn't run a raffle!
Your CV sounds very impressive, thank you for sharing it.
Allan
 

Sneds

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Have to agree, the people on the lock are fine but the management needs some attention to run the place as a business and make money rather than run at a loss
Put the price up, improve facilities and get rid of the wrecks
Sorted
 

Sneds

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Just for the record, we moored there for over 10 years and still visit regularly and am very interested in what happens there
 

vodzurk

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I couldn't wait to get out after buying my boat in Bristol.

The guys running the locks were great, but the back office was a damn nightmare. Here's the initial conversation I had, which I'm still pissy about...

"Hi, I'm thinking of buying a boat from CYS, is there anything I need in order to use it around the Bristol floating harbour?"
"Nope, just a navigation licence, which you can buy for each day you use it, and insurance".
Boat bought.
"Can I buy a navigation licence please for the lovely boat I just bought?"
"Sure, can I see your BSS Certificate?"
"WHAT?"
"Well I can't give you a navigation licence if you don't have a BSS Certificate"

So yeah, I bought a boat which I supposedly couldn't use. Or rather... that instead of them getting money from me whilst I came to terms with how to handle it, they got not a penny.

So we went to Portishead, where there's a lot more water to have fun in :).
 

oldmanofthehills

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Sadly Council run Harbour and Marina do little to encourage visitors but seem to ficus on pleasing the locals and thus treat us boaters as window dressing.

Swansea Marina shuts for the night and Bristol charges visiting boats a quite high fee to enter the docks during Harbour Festival.

Minehead wants to charge £25 for inadequate berthing with no toilets and shower


The Harbour Masters at some of the tiny harbours such as Porlock go out of their way to help in comparison
 
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