Floating shop in Salcombe

[EUXINE_Rival]

Salcombe harbour is trying to set up a floating shop in the harbour to attract sailors as numbers visiting the harbour are dropping. Would this really attract you?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6740715.stm

 

[clyst]

Yea what a laugh ??? The prices would be out of this world /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif What an idiotic idea .
Maybe if they dropped thier mooring and harbour dues charges it may attract more visiting boats . Salcombe use to be a lovely place to visit pre the 90s wouldn't even consider going there now--- its just one big rip off . Just like their shop would be . /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[bendyone]

[ QUOTE ]
Yea what a laugh ??? The prices would be out of this world /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif What an idiotic idea .
Maybe if they dropped thier mooring and harbour dues charges it may attract more visiting boats . Salcombe use to be a lovely place to visit pre the 90s wouldn't even consider going there now--- its just one big rip off . Just like their shop would be . /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

The deli in Salcombe is one of the most expensive shops anyway.

 

[jerryat]

[ QUOTE ]
Yea what a laugh ??? The prices would be out of this world /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif What an idiotic idea .
Maybe if they dropped thier mooring and harbour dues charges it may attract more visiting boats . Salcombe use to be a lovely place to visit pre the 90s wouldn't even consider going there now--- its just one big rip off . Just like their shop would be . /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Entirely agree. I noticed the local TV report also confirmed that fees for yachtsmen were the highest on the south coast! Beggers belief that they don't address this, the obvious way to get more people there, FIRST!!!

We stopped going to Salcombe at least twenty years ago due the 'grabbing' nature of their harbour chap, who hassled us even as we were anchoring. It's just an expensive, pretty, but slowly dying dump. What a terrble shame.

 

[jhughes]

The chap from the harbour authority was on the news complaining that visiting yacht numbers were dropping and those that did visit were not staying as long as they used to, his solution was a floating shop! It dosen't seem to have occurred to him to reduce the mooring/anchoring fees!

 

[clyst]

Yet Fowey is gaining popularity . we always use to regard Fowey ,years ago as the "poormans" salcombe not anymore . salcombe should take a leaf out of their book . I know the commercial shipping brings in huge amount of revenue but the prices of the visitors mooring are so reasonable that yachtsmen flock to the place -----as you know.

 

[doug748]

It has not changed. I race there twice a season and they are alongside before your lines are fast. When alone, In suitable conditions, I much prefer to anchor outside.

 

[moodycruiser]

I have just e-mailed the HM with a link to this page and suggested he read into it to find out why there is a drop in visitors. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

Last time in the SW I sailed straight past Salcombe because it's so difficult to land from your tender, the Taxi is extortionate, if you are not careful they will charge you for mooring even if youre on your own anchor and the general attitude is this is an up market place and we are going to charge you for it! Perhaps more would visit if they realised that the customer is nearly always right, and if they aint got the customers they have got something wrong!

 

[ccscott49]

High prices are the culprit, people are finally voting with their collective keels, great! and about time. Dartmouth take note!!!

 

[alec]

I like the concept. Sounds fun, but by the sound of it, not at Salcombe.

A floating bar with access by dinghy sounds a much better idea.

 

[pvb]

The report recommending this to the Harbour Board is online here. You'll note it has all the important terms included - stakeholders, risk assessment, FOI, even "Core Principals"! And interestingly, just to show how well they understand visiting yachtsmen, they include the observation "Vessels have traditionally used ship’s chandlers to provision for a voyage or passage."

 

[wiggy]

My main moan is that for your mooring cost you get no facilities except grotty toilets at the strand, no showers etc.

 

[ccscott49]

There's the barge in Dartmouth, thats a bar!

Theres a bar at salcombe as well, but not one you could drink at!

 

[Brian_B]

Visitor numbers may be down but they were still four deep on the mooring bouys last weekend.
That's at least £80 per bouy on Saturday night!

 

[andy_wilson]

A floating bar with access by dinghy

That will be the Egremont then.

 

[Robin]

Salcombe became a rip off once before in the 1970's/early 80's and people passed them rapidly by, until later they reduced the charges again in line with Dartmouth and others. My kids always referred to the mini supermarket there as the 'Rookery' because of their pricing policy! What they have done now is go full circle and wonder why they have lost business, well I never! The fuel barge and it's sister owned by the same company in Dartmouth are on the same bandwagon too, these people do real damage to local tourism but I guess they have decided it doesn't matter, at least short term.

 

[MacMan]

We went there two years ago - agressively hasseld for ridiculous fees to swing to you own tackle (ohh err /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

We won't go back - more fool the people who do.

Shame as it is a nice place but there are much nicer places in France that are free.

I am reminded of the conversation we had with a French Harbour Master

Us: We are on one of your buoys, we used your loos and filled up with some water and disposed of our rubbish and checked the weather on your notice board. How much do we owe you

Him:How long are you staying

Us: Not sure maybe 2 or 3 nights

Him: Gallic shrug - oh don't worry - no charge (with the expression of why would anyone charge for anything less than a week)

Salcombe HM/Newtown Creek self appointed HM please compare and contrast !

Isn't Charles rich enough yet ?

 

[andy_wilson]

I can't say that this would necessarily attract me to visit Salcombe any more than I do presently. Sounds like it could be novel. I'm sure like everyone else I would say 'HOW MUCH' without realy considering the implications of just how much it would cost to provide the service.

Think about it, buy, equip, register (commercially) and staff (surely at least 2 people needed). Pay harbour dues.

It would need fridges and freezers and therefore generators, considerable storage space.

The staff would need to be skilled in general shop work, admin and cash handling, customer service, lifting in difficult conditions, boat handling and safety. Someone will need an off-sales licence.

With the best will in the world, at peak season they might get a few hours per day out of it, with a similar time for re-stocking. For most of the season it will be redundant for much of the day. During which time - and more importantly overnight - security will be a massive issue.

As for the comments on the BBC web-site, I can understand existing traders being fearful of lost business. On the other hand, they must surely be the ones best placed to provide the service, with a ready range of stock items available close to the waterside. Problem is I think it might bust 'em.

I suspect the best solution would be some wealthy, regular visitor thinking it is an ideal opportunity to set up a quaint and novel business in Salcombe, and being prepared to sink a few hundred £000 in to it, which would probably last a couple of seasons tops!

 

[andy_wilson]

Unfortunately the town burghers of N. France and S. England are singing from very different hymn sheets.

As for Charles, the responsibility for collecting dues was long since passed over to The Crown Estates to drive along. It's mandate is to collect as commercial a rate as possible to give to Gordon to waste by bolstering votes in the burgeoning Civil Service, NHS, Dept. of Work and Pensions and all the other divisions of the public sector which now 'employ' the bulk of our workforce.