BOAT FOLK PLEASE READ

[Seastoke]

Yes, completely agree. Most boatyards like myself have done well. If fact better than we did to start with. The government offered the grants, so if its available then, so be it. The government at the start told us to close and then half way through the first lockdown said we did not have to close. But we must have all our storage / mooring money as we all greedy in this business. I know one Marina in Poole, the lady measures the boats to the millimeter. I think the greediness of marinas is partly due to the type of business of being a luxury trade, that only a select few can actually afford.

You need to say where you are on this , you are giving mixed messages unless you are taking the money and don’t give a shit about anything.

 

[Rappey]

With 650 berths they could have afforded to give every berth holder a concession

Surely your theory only works if every berth is full ? You might be surprised how full they need to be before they are making a profit..
The supermarkets did not lose any trade,if anything they gained a lot as other shops were closed

 

[luke collins]

If I recall we did get some form of credit due to the 1st lock down from Boatfolk, correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[Seastoke]

And now all the arguing begins..... Lets look to the good things in the future

No the good things are how conduct our selves , and taking money is not right if you think it is move to Brussels.

 

[Never Grumble]

Surely your theory only works if every berth is full ? You might be surprised how full they need to be before they are making a profit..
The supermarkets did not lose any trade, the marinas have.

I wouldn't feel too sorry for them. Take a look at their annual accounts in 2018 they had turnover of just under £8m and £1.5m operating profit then the accountants did some magic to show a loss. So pray tell me the occupancy rate required for them to break even? And how many boats are currently resident there?

Yes and for the concession I did divide the saving in rates by the whole 650. They also operated in the summer which would have been the busiest months for visitors and as we all know this year UK marinas were rammed and visitors berths difficult to come by.

 

[Seastoke]

If I recall we did get some form of credit due to the 1st lock down from Boatfolk, correct me if I’m wrong.

You are right which I think we should pay back and they should pay back.

 

[Bru]

But Bru they had free rates for a year ,they must pay back.

Have they?

I don't see any indication of a complete rates holiday, only varying scales of rates reduction

Should they pay it back? I can see the arguments that they should *if* they suffered no financial loss due to Covid but is that the case (in every case)?

Certainly where we moor the marina, as i said, made no savings continuing with full staff and services but they'll have lost revenue - boats not launched (including ours), gas sales, diesel sales, income from visitors etc

An interesting conundrum for sure but frankly not that interesting!

 

[Never Grumble]

I don't see any indication of a complete rates holiday, only varying scales of rates reduction

try researching expanded retail discount, 100% discount/rates relief for retailers and leisure sectors for year 2020/21.

 

[Seastoke]

Have they?

I don't see any indication of a complete rates holiday, only varying scales of rates reduction

Should they pay it back? I can see the arguments that they should *if* they suffered no financial loss due to Covid but is that the case (in every case)?

Certainly where we moor the marina, as i said, made no savings continuing with full staff and services but they'll have lost revenue - boats not launched (including ours), gas sales, diesel sales, income from visitors etc

An interesting conundrum for sure but frankly not that interesting!

Gas sales , get real boat diesel is at cost, If they are in ppe or vaccinations, yep I will see it .

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Now is the time to repay all your rates money back into the government , yes you can charge me for the discount you gave me. It’s time to do the right thing , and all you other marinas , who have profit from COVID-19.

You run your own business seastoke. Did you take any money from the govt by way of furlough, CBILS and Bounce Back loans and rates holidays and have you repaid it?

 

[oldgit]

Most folks unhappy with the way a business conducts its self take their business elsewhere.
However that involves actually doing something.
Far easier to bleat on a forum, than actually take some action such as untie your boat and put your money where ..... ?

 

[Seastoke]

You run your own business seastoke. Did you take any money from the govt by way of furlough, CBILS and Bounce Back loans and rates holidays and have you repaid it?

Well some staff had furlough, but we had no loans we are cash rich , and every one back at work .

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Well some staff had furlough, but we had no loans we are cash rich , and every one back at work .

Oh I see. So now you’re back up and running again and given that you are cash rich, are you going to reimburse we taxpayers the furlough money you took from us? I don’t want to be rude but it seems that both you and Boatfolk have dipped your paws into the money trough and yet you are criticising them?

 

[Durley245]

Most folks unhappy with the way a business conducts its self take their business elsewhere.
However that involves actually doing something.
Far easier to bleat on a forum, than actually take some action such as untie your boat and put your money where ..... ?

I am going to end up the Piers Morgan of this forum. It needs warming up a bit anyway! if you you don't like marina actions or there policies untie your boat and go somewhere else, where you end up with the same problem elsewhere It the meantime, someone else will fill the space, whether or not it contracted to you ot not.What boatyard / marina earns is there private matter, and no other business of anyone else. Put it in a nutshell they have the market to themselves. And I speak as a boat yard owner and happy to go out my way to help owners as much as possible with boats, But they must pay there fees. Its a business not a hobbie.

 

[BruceK]

Roy, as we havent had much of a season and with social distancing and all, life has been drier than the Gobi Desert. In fact I havent had a chance to pilfer any booze off you this year as you ducked and dodged every advance. As such the Pirates will be raising admission fees next year to recover losses. We demand access not only to the flybridge fridge but the saloon too.
Please leave keys or jimmy bar under the cockpit seating.

piratesRus

 

[TwoHooter]

What boatyard / marina earns is there private matter, and no other business of anyone else.

That is true only if they don't receive any hand-outs of public money.
The moment they receive hand-outs I disagree that it's their own business. It becomes our business. We are all taxpayers. We are entitled to see where public money is spent and to object if we think it's going to the wrong people or being wasted. I don't care how much a marina or boatyard makes out of their ordinary trade but if they receive public money I want to know how much and whether they really ought to have had it.
Full disclosure: I am a shareholder in 2 businesses which have received public money during this crisis. Both have been locked down and without any income for a total of 4 months this year, and one is struggling to achieve even 25% of its pre-crisis income now it is open after the second lockdown. Both will be stating what they have received in their accounts.

 

[Durley245]

That is true only if they don't receive any hand-outs of public money.
The moment they receive hand-outs I disagree that it's their own business. It becomes our business. We are all taxpayers. We are entitled to see where public money is spent and to object if we think it's going to the wrong people or being wasted. I don't care how much a marina or boatyard makes out of their ordinary trade but if they receive public money I want to know how much and whether they really ought to have had it.
Full disclosure: I am a shareholder in 2 businesses which have received public money during this crisis. Both have been locked down and without any income for a total of 4 months this year, and one is struggling to achieve even 25% of its pre-crisis income now it is open after the second lockdown. Both will be stating what they have received in their accounts.

Yes, I agree with your point about public money . Its just the constant complaints of profits boat yards and marina's make which i support these profits. Boat ownership is an expensive pastime, iand cannot be done on the cheap if you relying on Marinas to store and moor them for them. If you can keep your boat at home or have a waterside property then boating becomes must easier and cheaper. Otherwise, buy a caravan instead, ! although they not cheap either, as they followed the boat business way of doing things.

 

[Seastoke]

Yes, I agree with your point about public money . Its just the constant complaints of profits boat yards and marina's make which i support these profits. Boat ownership is an expensive pastime, iand cannot be done on the cheap if you relying on Marinas to store and moor them for them. If you can keep your boat at home or have a waterside property then boating becomes must easier and cheaper. Otherwise, buy a caravan instead, ! although they not cheap either, as they followed the boat business way of doing things.

Ok so I have been told our marina rates are over £500, 000 so they have received all the fees paid by boat owners plus a rate free year, how do you see that is correct.

 

[Seastoke]

Oh I see. So now you’re back up and running again and given that you are cash rich, are you going to reimburse we taxpayers the furlough money you took from us? I don’t want to be rude but it seems that both you and Boatfolk have dipped your paws into the money trough and yet you are criticising them?

The furlough money was for staff, not me and we topped up to bring them up to 5 days.

 

[Never Grumble]

Yes, I agree with your point about public money . Its just the constant complaints of profits boat yards and marina's make which i support these profits. Boat ownership is an expensive pastime, iand cannot be done on the cheap if you relying on Marinas to store and moor them for them. If you can keep your boat at home or have a waterside property then boating becomes must easier and cheaper. Otherwise, buy a caravan instead, ! although they not cheap either, as they followed the boat business way of doing things.

For me it's a case of whether the government assistance whether that be furlough monies, expanded retail discount etc has gone to the right people, all of which were intended to prop up businesses that were on their knees and about to go down the tubes.