Seastoke
Well-known member
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.
BOAT FOLK PLEASE READ
- Thread starter Seastoke
- Start date
Durley245
Member
I beg your pardon!
oldgit
Well-known member
...................personally always try to wait until the sun is well over the yardarm 
Megs20Burt!
Active member
It is somewhere in the world?...................personally always try to wait until the sun is well over the yardarm
Durley245
Member
Pay enough in business rates, thank you , too much in fact. A system that is not fit for purpose.
sharpness
Active member
I think Seastoke means "BoatFolk" the marina chain, and I totally agree with him.
XDC
Well-known member
They don't even capitalise it ... it's boatfolk ... the well known German cooperative (as I read somewhere ).
Seastoke
Well-known member
Sorry yes , but that is to all marinas , who have gained when some peeps are on their knees.
TwoHooter
Well-known member
I agree.
The owner of our last marina paid dividends of £1m in their last published accounts. I am waiting for them to publish their accounts for the period covering the lockdowns and I will call them out if they don't repay their UBR and furlough money.
The owner of our last marina paid dividends of £1m in their last published accounts. I am waiting for them to publish their accounts for the period covering the lockdowns and I will call them out if they don't repay their UBR and furlough money.
MoodySabre
Well-known member
Lots of business didn't suffer as expected. A mate who is an electrical wholesaler says that things have gone totally mad since lockdown 1 finished and he is now 40% up for the year compared to last year.
I'm not sure that marinas suffered much - still got all their fees, missed a bit extra work but furloughed staff, got their rates back plus a grant (for the smaller places like mine).
I'm not sure that marinas suffered much - still got all their fees, missed a bit extra work but furloughed staff, got their rates back plus a grant (for the smaller places like mine).
Bru
Well-known member
Our marina didn't furlough staff and carried on doing everything I'm paying them for
Not their fault we couldn't use the boat
Not their fault we couldn't use the boat
markc
Well-known member
yep, totally agree. Like the supermarkets, if marinas have not suffered because they were still charging their full fees, it stands to reason that they should hand back any rate rebate they received. That's a moral obligation in my book.
Durley245
Member
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.
Bigplumbs
Well-known member
And now all the arguing begins..... Lets look to the good things in the future
MoodySabre
Well-known member
Good things including less greed and money grabbing at the taxpayers expense. Gets my vote.
richardbrennan
Well-known member
I am not sure the OP's comment is entirely fair. My marina, which is part of the boatfolk group, are giving a discount on next year's fees due to the lock down. They did not, as far as I am aware, furlough any permanent staff, and it was reassuring to know that someone was keeping an eye on my boat when I was unable to go down, including doing some specific checks I requested. I realise that defending marinas might not be popular, but I can only speak as I find and they are not all bad.
tetleys
Member
Like you richardbrennan I cannot speak highly enough of the staff at Dean & Reddyhoff aka boatfolk.
I used to be berthed at Weymouth for two years before relocating the boat to Jersey . Am currently wintering
on south coast for vat and COVID reasons , spending time at Haslar and Weymouth.
I have plenty of experience as a visitor with other marina operators but can honestly say the helpful and friendly
attitude of all the boatfolk staff gets my vote
cheers
Tetleys
I used to be berthed at Weymouth for two years before relocating the boat to Jersey . Am currently wintering
on south coast for vat and COVID reasons , spending time at Haslar and Weymouth.
I have plenty of experience as a visitor with other marina operators but can honestly say the helpful and friendly
attitude of all the boatfolk staff gets my vote
cheers
Tetleys
Never Grumble
Well-known member
A business rates handout is for the larger marinas a massive kickback, we're not talking about a few pence. Take for example Haslar Marina it has a rateable value of £317,000, at a uniform business rate of 49.1 p in the £ this means their costs have been reduced by £155,647 in the year! With 650 berths they could have afforded to give every berth holder a concession of £240. I suppose this is why some of us don't feel the need to defend. It is not surprising that the larger supermarkets have said they will give the money back as they have continued trading very nicely during the pandemic, there are parallels with the marina operators who have charged full fees.
Seastoke
Well-known member
But Bru they had free rates for a year ,they must pay back.
Seastoke
Well-known member
Ok name your marina , but they had all fees and free rates what is your defence.
