Hobbs

[theguvnor]

Sad news - Hobbs at Henley are to close !

Redevelopment looms and rumor has it that the excellent chandlery is to be a poncy restaurant.

All the help & advise from Ray and the guys is to be lost.

With a site worth God knows what (£ many millions) I suppose it was inevitable that the new generation did`nt fancy sitting for 12hrs on Bank Holidays selling tickets to the rif-raf to hire a row boat, if you`ve got +/- £20mill on deposit.

Nevertheless, a loss to the river and us boaters after 3 generations of service on the Thames

 

[Skyva_2]

Very sad. The awful summer probably just accelerated the process.

 

[Brayman]

Are you just talking about the chandlery?
Surely the charter operation is still to be operational?

 

[byron]

Thy will probably move the chandlery to the other side of the river.

 

[Brayman]

Yes, I'm sure you are right. I remember reading about it in the Henley Standard a few weeks ago - all depends on planning approval though.

 

[rr_123]

yes, because the planning system in Henley is perfect, and well above corruption, as i learned in the ten years i lived there!!

v.sad if Hobbs goes, although perhaps understandable financially, it has been one of my "staples" for many year )c:

 

[byron]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, I'm sure you are right. I remember reading about it in the Henley Standard a few weeks ago - all depends on planning approval though.

[/ QUOTE ]

they don't need planning the other side, they already have a caravan shop there. Unless of course Tony's thinking of a new building for the Chandlery.

 

[Brayman]

No, but they need planning approval for the restaurant - and the residents aren't keen, does that make any difference?

 

[byron]

I see, we are talking at cross purposes. I was referring to re-opening the chandlery on the opposite bank. I hadn't considered the planning conditions for a restaurant

 

[Mike_Gates]

Re: Hobbs. Message from Jonathan Hobbs

Hi everybody

I spoke to Jonathan about this thread and he asked me to post the following for him as he was out and about.

All the best

Mike

Hobbs Marine Store is to close at the end of December 2007,due to the
retirement of Ray Gardiner who has given a lifetime of service,and whose
wealth of knowledge is irreplaceable.
Hobbs of Henley Ltd are looking to diversify and open a restaurant where the
chandlery was to compliment its fleet of Passenger vessels,and Hire Boats.
We are looking to relocate the chandlery to our Wargrave Road yard,so if
anyone knows of anyone who wishes to open a marine store there,I would be
pleased to speak to them.
Please be assured that the decision to change the use of an area of our
property,has been prompted by Ray Gardiners decision to retire,and that our
fleet of hire boats (of which we have 50 )will be available to hire for many
years to come (even on bank holidays!!!)
Hobbs of Henley has now been operating for 137 years and is still a family
run business.
We have invested £1.5 million in new hire boats since 1991,and river
conditions permitting hope to continue to serve the boating community and
the requirements of boat hirers for a long time to come.

Jonathan Hobbs
Director
Hobbs of Henley Ltd

 

[apollo]

Re: Hobbs. Message from Jonathan Hobbs

Thanks for posting that Mike, makes it all a lot clearer.

 

[ADLS]

When I first bought my boat I suffered a lot of starting problems when getting out of the Thames locks. Called into Hobb's for help, they gave me a red isolator key and told me to try that. Problem solved plus they didn't want anything for the key!! I bought a new St George flag as mine was a bit tatty, they advised me not to fly it as theres a 80 squid fine for doing so. I replied that I've a Dunkirker and have a Defence ministry warrant allowing this, are you must be a friend of Raymond Baxter then a frequent customer of Hobbs.