Cowes Water Taxi Prices

Fantasie 19 said:
By the by, one of the water taxi drivers told us that the Folly was closing and was going to be redeveloped as housing???
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Having just discovered this place i'd be very dissapointed.

However i cannot see any reference to it on IOW Council planning applications so it could be Chinese Whiskers?
 
The water taxis in Cowes have become shocking. I have posted about this before, but Cowes Harbour Commission appear to have created a monopoly of just the Folly taxis for the whole river. It's one little Cartel that CHC have paid to drive all the others out. The moment Sally taxi was driven out the prices doubled, the service dropped and the staff became very rude telling us pretty much we had no choice. A pay it of f off attitude.

I have pointed out before that one of the partners of the water taxis is also on the board at CHC, so not much chance of them letting anyone else in.
 
To answer the OP, the fare from East Cowes Marina to Cowes return used to be £4 regardless to time of day or year. Same price all the time. So 2.5 times more now.
 
MedinaView said:
The water taxis in Cowes have become shocking. I have posted about this before, but Cowes Harbour Commission appear to have created a monopoly of just the Folly taxis for the whole river. It's one little Cartel that CHC have paid to drive all the others out. The moment Sally taxi was driven out the prices doubled, the service dropped and the staff became very rude telling us pretty much we had no choice. A pay it of f off attitude.

I have pointed out before that one of the partners of the water taxis is also on the board at CHC, so not much chance of them letting anyone else in.
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Is it a trust port?
 
langstonelayabout said:
Sorry. I really don't understand this. What does this mean?

Are there any culinary delights in Gosport? The Sultan grill is about 3/4 mile away but, even after living near Gosport for 50 years, I'm still short of knowing any establishment that produces culinary delights there.

Anyone care to suggest...
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Gosport Ferry, Gunwharf.
Plenty of choice there.
Which probably hasn't done Gosport any favours as a place to eat.

I think anyone who matters in Cowes is presumed to be a member of one of 'the' clubs, so will get a club launch.
Everybody else is a tourist to be fleeced.
 
lw395 said:
Gosport Ferry, Gunwharf.
Plenty of choice there.
Which probably hasn't done Gosport any favours as a place to eat.

I think anyone who matters in Cowes is presumed to be a member of one of 'the' clubs, so will get a club launch.
Everybody else is a tourist to be fleeced.
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Which clubs have courtesy launches other than the RYS?
 
MedinaView said:
The water taxis in Cowes have become shocking. I have posted about this before, but Cowes Harbour Commission appear to have created a monopoly of just the Folly taxis for the whole river. It's one little Cartel that CHC have paid to drive all the others out. The moment Sally taxi was driven out the prices doubled, the service dropped and the staff became very rude telling us pretty much we had no choice. A pay it of f off attitude.

I have pointed out before that one of the partners of the water taxis is also on the board at CHC, so not much chance of them letting anyone else in.
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Is that actually allowed???
 
MedinaView said:
The wife has been doing her detective bit and came up with an old review on TripAdvisor that sounds interesting.

There are too many rumours on the internet grapevine, but it does sounds feasible.

View attachment 65126
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This was on Tripadvisor 2 years ago, but has since been deleted.

After looking through CHC advisory board minutes though, they do show that this appears to be true.
 
I've not heard anything about the Folly closing and as I live nearby and keep my tender there I'm sure I'd have seen something.

However, the derelict Saunders Roe factory immediately north of the Folly had a planning application for a housing development and hotel. As far as I know the Folly was unconnected to the scheme. This was about 3 or 4 years ago but nothing seemed to come from t. Maybe this has been resurrected and someone had the wrong end of the stick.

I'd be surprised if the Folly closed, it always seems busy.
 
We have been advised by the taxis that the Folly is closed will be closing. It seems to depend on where on the river you are. We have also been told by them that the Lifeboat is not very good.

I think perhaps its a way to drum up business and persuade you to travel somewhere else? Maybe I am being cynical, but I have always found the Folly to be good and the Lifeboat as well.
 
It looks like the Cowes prices have gone up even more now. Phoned for East Cowes to Cowes and quoted £20. From £3 to £20 in 2 years. Shocking.
 
MedinaView said:
It looks like the Cowes prices have gone up even more now. Phoned for East Cowes to Cowes and quoted £20. From £3 to £20 in 2 years. Shocking.
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The CHC's own launches provide the 'service' during the winter, at least on weekdays, call Shepards Wharf to book.
I got a CHC launch from the redjet down to my boat on Folly reach, a trip of 2.5km a couple of weeks ago for £5. The thing I'm unable to work out is that the couple of times I've used a taxi this year, it's been cheaper to go from the redjet to my boat (£5) than from the folly (£7), which is over twice the distance away (just 1km) ?
 
MedinaView said:
It looks like the Cowes prices have gone up even more now. Phoned for East Cowes to Cowes and quoted £20. From £3 to £20 in 2 years. Shocking.
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How the hell can they charge £20 - per person I presume - to get across a narrow river - and is anyone daft enough to pay that ?

Quite seriously, that is an accident waiting to happen, some people will try swimming it.
 
And the Solent crowd used to complain about West country prices!
Dartmouth water taxi costs has been halved and runs an excellent service for most of the day during the winter and even late during the summer.
 
Lightwave395 said:
The CHC's own launches provide the 'service' during the winter, at least on weekdays, call Shepards Wharf to book.
I got a CHC launch from the redjet down to my boat on Folly reach, a trip of 2.5km a couple of weeks ago for £5. The thing I'm unable to work out is that the couple of times I've used a taxi this year, it's been cheaper to go from the redjet to my boat (£5) than from the folly (£7), which is over twice the distance away (just 1km) ?
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It does seem that the Harbour Master boats are much cheaper than the water taxis. This applies to in the summer when the water taxis wont pick you up.

Yes, it was just me and when I phoned I was quoted £20 to come out on a weekend. I walked across the floating bridge in the end.

Cowes prices used to be so cheap for years, then 2 years ago it appears CHC started paying the folly ferries to run a monopoly over the whole river. There is only one company now which CHC choose and the prices have skyrocketed and the service disappeared.
 
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