BOAT FOLK PLEASE READ

Durley245 said:
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.
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I'm glad we agree. :)
Generally speaking I think marinas give a very good service, particularly those with locks.
And it's inevitable in a small island with an ever-increasing population that any activity which uses land is going to cost a lot. Boats use private land every bit as much as caravans unless you moor offshore and land on a beach!
When we are cruising some of our best memories come from when we have been in quiet places where we are either the only boat or there are very few others, eg: Skomer, West Mersea, Snape, Beccles, Lundy, East Head, Polperro, Brownsea island, and so on. But if the weather and the night are closing in there is no better sight than a lock and a safe harbour behind it - I remember the first time we came into Sovereign Harbour from a confused grey sea, being safely behind the lock with water and electricity on the pontoon was blissful. Having run a business which involved a lot of engineering and staff costs I am well aware of how much it must cost to run a marina (especially if it has a lock). In the 5 years we have been boating we have spent an average of £7,500 p.a. on marina fees including visitor berths when cruising and while that is a lot of money (equivalent to renting a nice 2 bed house where we live) I don't begrudge it.
Any criticism from me is limited to those marinas which have received public money and have kept it to inflate profits. I will be looking at the 2020/1 accounts of marinas very closely when they are published.
 
Never Grumble said:
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.
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Well , find me a boatyard or Marina that charges mooring or storage charges that's on its knees. No many , in fact none of them are struggling.
 
seastoke said:
So pay the money back .
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What you need to do is claim the government money you are intitled to , more so if your cash rich . Go for it . At the end of the day, we all end paying it back in higher taxes long term anyway. When we owe them money to the government they soon on our backs with no forgiveness. And no I am not paying it back, bought a new boat hoist instead.
 
Durley245 said:
What you need to do is claim the government money you are intitled to , more so if your cash rich . Go for it . At the end of the day, we all end paying it back in higher taxes long term anyway. When we owe them money to the government they soon on our backs with no forgiveness. And no I am not paying it back, bought a new boat hoist instead.
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That great I'm pleased you have been able to invest, but some of us weren't entitled and received no government support despite paying taxes, generating VAT etc for years. Business gone to the wall and looking new jobs if we can find one.
 
seastoke said:
The furlough money was for staff, not me and we topped up to bring them up to 5 days.
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Bollox. Your business benefited by being able to furlough staff and take them back on again later instead of making them redundant, paying them redundancy money and losing their skills for ever. That was the whole point of furlough money and you took advantage. It is hypocritical to criticise another business for taking advantage of one of the other Covid related govt money tree schemes
 
The is obviously much wider and divisive, but as this is a boating forum, i guess this the focus in this discussion. Unfortunately, in my opinion anyway, this covid thing has divided the nation so much there's no middle ground where opposing thoughts can meet in the middle. The government handouts are a prime example, you had wealthy companies and individuals who could actually see their profits increase be able to claim them, and others who suddenly found themselves with no income, receiving nothing. I've got no idea how we're going to move on from this and reconcile again.
 
Deleted User said:
Bollox. Your business benefited by being able to furlough staff and take them back on again later instead of making them redundant, paying them redundancy money and losing their skills for ever. That was the whole point of furlough money and you took advantage. It is hypocritical to criticise another business for taking advantage of one of the other Covid related govt money tree schemes
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You just feel guilty.
 
Never Grumble said:
That great I'm pleased you have been able to invest, but some of us weren't entitled and received no government support despite paying taxes, generating VAT etc for years. Business gone to the wall and looking new jobs if we can find one.
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Well , I wish you well, and hope things improve. If you pay taxes you fully deserve support from the government during the pandemic. All the best to you.
 
Deleted User said:
Bollox. Your business benefited by being able to furlough staff and take them back on again later instead of making them redundant, paying them redundancy money and losing their skills for ever. That was the whole point of furlough money and you took advantage. It is hypocritical to criticise another business for taking advantage of one of the other Covid related govt money tree schemes
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Surely furlough was so workers unable to work due to government shutdown could keep paying the bills and put food on the table.
A rate rebate for a business who’s customers have paid up in full should be paid back.
 
Martxer said:
Surely furlough was so workers unable to work due to government shutdown could keep paying the bills and put food on the table.
A rate rebate for a business who’s customers have paid up in full should be paid back.
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I can’t believe the reaction of some.
 
Wonder how many bertholders will be using tax payers hard earned cash ie. furlough money and rate rebates, to help pay to keep a very expensive toy in a marina ?
Surely not !
 
Well I haven’t taken a penny so have no vested interest and agree marinas should pay it back.
The very small credit on accounts that they have given back to berth holders (not even refunds) have been pitiful compared to the fees taken and the costs they have saved.
 
colhel said:
Unfortunately, in my opinion anyway, this covid thing has divided the nation so much there's no middle ground where opposing thoughts can meet in the middle.
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I agree.
This wretched virus has driven a wedge down the middle of the country exactly like Brexit, and most people have adopted entrenched positions.
It seems to me if we pursue the discussion we are going to fall out with each other.
I know I contributed to it but I think we might do well to leave the thread here and agree to differ.
I won't be posting in this thread again.
Thanks.
Michael
 
oldgit said:
Wonder how many bertholders will be using tax payers hard earned cash ie. furlough money and rate rebates, to help pay to keep a very expensive toy in a marina ?
Surely not !
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Of course they are. The expensive toy needs to be paid for and pay for the services that they need. You can't keep your 50ft flybridge in your front garden can you. The neighbours might complain.
 
TwoHooter said:
I agree.
This wretched virus has driven a wedge down the middle of the country exactly like Brexit, and most people have adopted entrenched positions.
It seems to me if we pursue the discussion we are going to fall out with each other.
I know I contributed to it but I think we might do well to leave the thread here and agree to differ.
I won't be posting in this thread again.
Thanks.
Michael
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Yes I agree.. someone start a new thread please.
 
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