Moorings at Reading outside Tesco

TrueBlue

TrueBlue

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 Apr 2004
Messages
4,476
Location
Sussex
Visit site
A thread on another forum -
http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=79983
shows a slightly rusty horizontal sign (could have been there a while) indicating that there's a charge of £9.25 payable for 24 hours.

Does anyone know how long it's been there and weather that's payable just to shop at Tesco??

Doubtless they'll disappear before long just as the last lot did. However, the loss of such a good shopping mooring is to be deplored - even if the real reason is to deter continuous moorers.
 
Doubt many will be paying that as it looks like you have to ring and use your credit card, wouldn't want to be there more than an hour or two anyway.
 
The same signs are just past the bridge in Christchurch Meadow. I haven't seen anyone checking boats or collecting fees and at least two of the boats on those moorings has been there long term.
Personally, I wouldn't stop at the Tesco mooring without leaving a crew member on board, armed with a tin hat and a pointy stick.
 
Ŷy
Actionmat said:
The same signs are just past the bridge in Christchurch Meadow. I haven't seen anyone checking boats or collecting fees and at least two of the boats on those moorings has been there long term.
Personally, I wouldn't stop at the Tesco mooring without leaving a crew member on board, armed with a tin hat and a pointy stick.
Click to expand...
I won't even leave a chained up dinghy there unattended while we shop. It's a disgrace that Tesco allows boats to moor there for weeks at a time. In the summer it's often impossible to moor a boat of any size to go shopping because it is completely filled with liveaboards taking advantage of a free berth.
 
I was at Tesco's Reading yesterday and took a look at the moorings. They are completely full, double breasted in places plus a large barge just below the wooden decked area. A mixture of Barges, Narrow boats and a few cruisers. The air was rather unpleasantly scented with smoke from boat stoves and the hum of engines and generators prevailed. I got the feeling these craft would be staying for more than 2 hours. I suspect if left unchecked this community will grow [again] Yet alone leaving a chained dinghy, I did not feel very happy being a pedestrian in broad daylight in this area.
 
Stopped at these moorings on Saturday, moored the boat locked her up. Needed to get supplies from Tesco. Spoke to a narrowboat owner, moored at our stern. Pleasant enough fella. Was unsure if I could leave the boat in such a warzone. Went to tescos was gone for around 30/40 mins. Came back and much to my surprise boat was still there, and windows and doors unsmashed/broken. No gear missing at all.
The council would like me to pay £9.25 for the pleasure (no chance)
The number to phone to pay is pretty much unmanned, and here is a surprise.The council has no facility to take payment as yet.
we sat for around 40 mins there eating a whole chicken with bread, salad. during that time there was pretty much no noise to worry about, the locals did not force there way on the boat and nick our cash and jewellery, most parked there have the required paperwork. The council do not seem to be as concerned with the foreign immigrants that have set up camp on the grass at the canal opening again not surprising.

If you happen to read this Glen you are breaking the law the way you are trying to get your mooring money.
Don't despair you can park there.
 
I can't do a link but the Facebook Canals and Rivers group has a thread about the wooden barge opposite; apparently lived on by an artist with lots of artist things around on the land, but he's now threatened with eviction by the land owners. Strangely I've always disliked the scruffy nb's liveaboards on the Tesco's side, but always pleased to see the barge opposite still lived on.
 
12227646_10156295520205085_6124984924913690146_n.jpg
 
Last edited:
I can't open the Facebook link. Is that the large wooden thing with a hole just above the waterline? I was amazed to see the owner using his 'tender' to reach Tesco's in the summer. A clapped out little Freeman with the bloke standing on the bow and punting it across with a big pole! I didn't see any evidence of a licence:rolleyes:
 
got to go.
Click to expand...

Having been involved with shifting a few boats of this nature in the distant past ,it is probably only silt sealing the hull.As soon as any undue movement,such as any attempt to secure a tow line occurs, the thing will start to flex and open up.The further you go, the more debris will wash out of the seams.
The next problem is......where.
Can just imagine the marina manager in Bray shuffling his feet,when this chap inquires about a berth.

In short,nobody is going to want this anywhere in their bit of river.
Only one fate awaits this houseboat ?
After the war due to housing shortage many landing craft,MTBs and other ex WD stuff was pressed into service as housing,every river had its floating community.
Many craft were only built with very short service life and eventually they started to fall to bits and boatyards wanted the things out.
The end usually came when long term owner,realising the game was up,sold the heap to some bright eye newbie for a song.A condition of sale was that the new owner removed the craft elsewhere.
Then the fun starts..:)
One barge had built up so much silt underneath it had built a platform and the barge simply would not float
even on the highest springs,after pulling out a couple of bollards and much acrimony twixt old and new owners,the barge remains in situ to this day and can still be seen at low tides.
 
Last edited:
oldgit said:
The next problem is......where.
Can just imagine the marina manager in Bray shuffling his feet,when this chap inquires about a berth.
In short,nobody is going to want this anywhere in their bit of river.
Click to expand...
Where indeed? The particular case is an interesting one. The boat is moored on what appears to be privately owned land so its the land owners decision as to whether on to he is prepared to accept its presence and on what terms. Cant believe any locals are objecting to it spoiling their view of the river as its not faced by any dwellings and the Tesco trolley pushers probably don't even notice it tucked in under the trees on the other side of the river. EA have a registration and boat safety issue to deal with but can't see it being a high priority if they may face excessive costs of enforcement. Its certainly not obstructing the river or taking up public mooring space.
So, playing devils advocate, why is it such a problem? Lots of far more serious issues facing society.
 
So, playing devils advocate, why is it such a problem? Lots of far more serious issues facing society.
Click to expand...

+1
As long as it has a license,BSC and is not dumping raw sewage into the watrcourse.Only caveat is that at some point it is going to suffer an inevitable fate and who will be picking up the salvage bill,suspect it will not be an insurance company !
Our local port authority is frequently left picking up the invoice when owners disappear into the sunset
 
Last edited:
Actionmat said:
Would you care to declare an interest?:)
Click to expand...

Well yes I would. After witnessing the efforts of the EA in the marina just around the corner over the past 5 years seeing them deal with a real issue on the river would quite a nice change. When the T&K cut silted up they refused to dredge it and so no one could venture out on the river from the T&K. " Not us " they cried! Why don't they deal with the Tesco long term shoppers or the un-registered craft at the Kennet I ask. Its too hard for them and there is no coin to be had is the reason. Just imagine how nice it would be to pop in to Tesco when out on a trip or how useful it would be for the holiday makers from the boat rentals in Reading to be able to moor there. Oh and please don't talk about private land, it has not stopped the EA in the T&K!!! Sorry for rant, been a long old day
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top