Premier Marinas any Bertholder rebates?

[Sadlerfin]

We have a 12 month contract at a Premier Marina (renewed in Feb) and of course have no access to our boat.

From this forum and talking to others I understand some Marina's are offering some recompense / gesture to their bertholders, Haslar for instance offering 50% voucher etc. Whilst I understand it's not Premiers fault they will not be employing seasonal staff and a gesture to loyal bertholders would be appreciated and remembered when the renewal arrives next year.

Anyone else here agree or have had any communication from Premier?

Delbuoy

 

[laika]

Yep they were pestering me last week. My contract ended at the end of March and I'd been planning on moving the boat down to plymouth for a refit, but obviously I now can't move the boat or get at any of my stuff. I said I'd be happy to pay winter rates. They said not an option, but we'll pro-rata the annual rate rather than charge you the summer monthly. Haven't agreed or paid anything yet. Would be interested to see what the deal is for those on monthly contracts or in the middle of an annual.

 

[steveeasy]

Yep they were pestering me last week. My contract ended at the end of March and I'd been planning on moving the boat down to plymouth for a refit, but obviously I now can't move the boat or get at any of my stuff. I said I'd be happy to pay winter rates. They said not an option, but we'll pro-rata the annual rate rather than charge you the summer monthly. Haven't agreed or paid anything yet. Would be interested to see what the deal is for those on monthly contracts or in the middle of an annual.

I would have thought your offer to continue the rate you were on was reasonable. until THEY can let you leave. After all, they cant sell the anual rate to new boats cos they are closed,
Steveeasy

 

[SailingDog]

An extension of say 3 months would be a great gesture, it would repay loyalty and encourage customers to stay. They wouldn't have to give refunds so wouldn't impact their present cash position.

 

[Sadlerfin]

Businesses are judged how they react in a crisis, if other marinas can make a gesture why not premier.

For sure how they react now will be remembered when its time to renew.

 

[Baroudeur]

Premier always have a way of disappointing customers it seems.

 

[steveph]

If your contract ended at the end of March and you are able to leave to a home berth then the point of closing to visitors is not to prevent visitors already there leaving. So if you have somewhere you can go, are able to move your boat and have a contractual obligation to move then either they can allow that or keep your boat at their cost is my argument. If you can’t move your boat and chose to leave it there then pro rata annual is a good discount on their summer monthly rate.
I always find Premier very reasonable and like everyone they are having to adjust to a situation with no known end date so I can understand a reluctance to discount annual berth holders yet. Hopefully once the extent of the disruption is known you might be more lucky.

 

[V1701]

I suspect if you dug your heels in they wouldn't have much choice but to accept your offer to carry on paying what you were paying through the winter. You're being reasonable in the circumstances and not trying to get free storage after all...

 

[Sadlerfin]

If your contract ended at the end of March and you are able to leave to a home berth then the point of closing to visitors is not to prevent visitors already there leaving. So if you have somewhere you can go, are able to move your boat and have a contractual obligation to move then either they can allow that or keep your boat at their cost is my argument. If you can’t move your boat and chose to leave it there then pro rata annual is a good discount on their summer monthly rate.
I always find Premier very reasonable and like everyone they are having to adjust to a situation with no known end date so I can understand a reluctance to discount annual berth holders yet. Hopefully once the extent of the disruption is known you might be more lucky.

There are a number of boats that have berths to go to but cannot leave. The lock is shut and the police were round at the weekend checking that no vessels were moving. So we are all stuck if we have other moorings or not. In addition QHM have made it clear that no recreational vessels may move around the harbour. Finally travelling to your boat is not deemed as essential travel.
None of this is the fault of the marina I would just like to see some understanding that we are all in this together as we've seen in other Portsmouth marinas.

 

[steveph]

QHM Portsmouth are working to LTNM 24/20 which states the harbour remains open, primarily for commercial use and in line with RYA advice it urges boaters not to undertake recreational boating. I fully endorse that and will not go out for a sail. If you call QHM on the phone to ask they will permit boat movements in the harbour such as movements from a winter berth to a swinging mooring. Lots have in the last few days as it’s that time of year. If you need to use Ch11 while moving they will ask your intentions. Likewise expect the Police Launch to come alongside and ask. They are all perfectly reasonable in my experience. If you said you were going sailing I am sure that would be different and could result in a fine.
Likewise I suggest any winter berth holders in the water with a mooring to go to call the marina and ask to make arrangements to leave. They won’t let you back in though so don’t try it for a sail.
Travelling to your boat to wash the decks or sit in the cockpit is certainly non-essential. If you have a pre existing contractual agreement I suggest it’s a bit different. But there is a risk there if you are stopped and a police officer takes a different view.
It’s amazing to see no pleasure boats in the harbour entrance going out for pleasure. I fully support that in this situation. Just saying if you have a good reason to move try talking to them.

 

[steveph]

And @Sadlerfin I agree with regard to annual berth holders seeing some understanding - I guess it’s a bit hard for anyone to quantify right now. Good luck on that.

 

[matt1]

QHM Portsmouth are working to LTNM 24/20 which states the harbour remains open, primarily for commercial use and in line with RYA advice it urges boaters not to undertake recreational boating. I fully endorse that and will not go out for a sail. If you call QHM on the phone to ask they will permit boat movements in the harbour such as movements from a winter berth to a swinging mooring. Lots have in the last few days as it’s that time of year. If you need to use Ch11 while moving they will ask your intentions. Likewise expect the Police Launch to come alongside and ask. They are all perfectly reasonable in my experience. If you said you were going sailing I am sure that would be different and could result in a fine.
Likewise I suggest any winter berth holders in the water with a mooring to go to call the marina and ask to make arrangements to leave. They won’t let you back in though so don’t try it for a sail.
Travelling to your boat to wash the decks or sit in the cockpit is certainly non-essential. If you have a pre existing contractual agreement I suggest it’s a bit different. But there is a risk there if you are stopped and a police officer takes a different view.
It’s amazing to see no pleasure boats in the harbour entrance going out for pleasure. I fully support that in this situation. Just saying if you have a good reason to move try talking to them.

fwiw I asked Hants marine police unit by email if I could deliver my boat for her pre-booked lift out else I may incur a £2k cost and politely got told “no, not essential”

 

[Sealong]

I too am a berth holder at a Premier Marina - Brighton. They have put themselves in a difficult position by not allowing us access to our craft. I enquired about this and they sought to assure me that they are keeping watch on everything. Although I have yet to pursue this angle with them, this response implies that they are willing to make themselves responsible for the safe condition of our vessels. I very much doubt that they will agree to this and consequently they will ultimately be obliged to give us have access: not to go out on the water but to check for ourselves that the boat is safe (ropes, bilge, power etc.).

 

[bdh198]

fwiw I asked Hants marine police unit by email if I could deliver my boat for her pre-booked lift out else I may incur a £2k cost and politely got told “no, not essential”

Sadly the police have shown again and again that they do not understand the regulations or the extent of their powers. If you have a reasonable excuse for leaving your home (and to move your boat for a pre-arranged lift in order avoid £2k costs arguably is reasonable - particularly if your risk of coming into contact with members of the public is low) then they cannot stop you. Their power is only if you leave your home without a reasonable excuse. Whether it is “essential“ or not is irrelevant. That is not the legal test.

The police cannot authorise a breach of the regulations (telling you that you can leave your home without a reasonable excuse) and they can’t enforce a sanction if you do indeed have a reasonable excuse.

 

[laika]

they will ultimately be obliged to give us have access: not to go out on the water but to check for ourselves that the boat is safe (ropes, bilge, power etc.).

That's not much cop if we can't travel to the marina

 

[Sticky Fingers]

An update received just now from Premier.

Dear Berth Holder,

Now that the operational impact of the Coronavirus regulations is settling down, I thought it would make sense to write to you and let you know how Premier is adapting to the changes and also how you are contributing to the global efforts to find a solution to this pandemic.

The changes we have all had to make are profound and we fully appreciate the frustration you will have during this difficult period when you are not able to visit the marina and use your boat. Premier’s immediate focus is on making sure your boat is safe and secure and we have adapted our operating plans to do just that. We have increased the frequency of our site and pontoon walks and we are regularly physically checking lines, fenders and covers to ensure that they are safe and secure. Alongside this, we have built time into our patrols to deal with any specific checks you may have around the care of your boat, so if you have a concern, just contact your marina team and they will be pleased to help.

If you need something more than a simple check, for example a boat repair, or you’d like a contractor to periodically run your boat engine, you’ll be glad to know that many of our tenants and contractors are still operating at this time and can help. Arranging the release of your boat keys is easy too, just log into your MyPremier account where you’ll find a range of online functions including key management, contract administration and an electricity top up facility for most sites.

We are however very mindful that the current situation will not continue indefinitely and we need to plan for a future in which restrictions are lifted and we can all start boating again. To this end, I am determined that we will not only continue to invest in and improve our marinas, but we will also retain the dedicated team that has made Premier what it is today. Consequently, we have kept all our staff on full pay, supporting them and their families through this crisis and in doing so ensuring that when you are able to visit the marina, you will be welcomed by people you know and who know your boat.

Whilst I know many of you appreciate the safe haven we are providing for your boat and the foundations we are building for future, I am exploring ways of making sure that our berthing fees during this period are fair to all berth holders. To do this, we need greater clarity on the extent of Government assistance that is available and a better understanding of how long the restrictions preventing you from using your boat will persist. We will write to you again once we have some clarity on these issues.

In thinking about this situation today, it occurred to me that you might like to know that as a Premier berth holder you are helping to support research into combatting Coronavirus. Many of you will be aware that Premier Marinas is owned by The Wellcome Trust, ‘a global charitable foundation that exists to improve health for everyone’. After the investment we make each year to maintain and improve our marina facilities, Premier’s remaining profit is returned to the Wellcome Trust, which in turn uses this money to support scientists and researchers in biomedicine and a range of other activities in the humanities, social sciences, public engagement and education. At this time, Wellcome is playing a significant part in supporting the global fight to understand and overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and you can find more information here.

The COVID-19 virus has now reached every corner of the world and touched us all in our daily and boating lives, so I would like take the time to personally thank you for supporting our staff, their families, our business, and most importantly, for helping us to support Wellcome in its valuable work at this time.

 

[Lucky Duck]

I too am a berth holder at a Premier Marina - Brighton. They have put themselves in a difficult position by not allowing us access to our craft. I enquired about this and they sought to assure me that they are keeping watch on everything. Although I have yet to pursue this angle with them, this response implies that they are willing to make themselves responsible for the safe condition of our vessels. I very much doubt that they will agree to this and consequently they will ultimately be obliged to give us have access: not to go out on the water but to check for ourselves that the boat is safe (ropes, bilge, power etc.).

That's not much cop if we can't travel to the marina

However, Lymington harbourmaster says the following;

Mooring licence holders may periodically undertake safeguarding checks of their vessels, lines and fendering arrangements to a degree reasonably necessary to safeguard their vessel;

COVID 19 UPDATE 4 - A MESSAGE FROM THE HARBOUR MASTER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE

 

[matt1]

[

However, Lymington harbourmaster says the following;



COVID 19 UPDATE 4 - A MESSAGE FROM THE HARBOUR MASTER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Deffo not what the Hamble Harbour authority will allow. Essentially a full lockdown there with the Hbr Mstr saying their patrols will keep an eye on boats.

Great response from Premier above IMHO

 

[dom]

I berth with Premier and find their service most agreeable. And in normal circumstances I would certainly expect them to match say Haslar in offering a price reduction for each month of shutdown.

These, however, are not normal circumstances and the Wellcome Trust (owner of Premier since May 2015) is in the vanguard of the Covid-19 vaccine research battle and has a fantastic track record in supporting public health globally.

Any Premier surplus directly helps the Wellcome effort, in which circumstances my personal inclination is to cheer them along every step of the way. Here's a link to a Press Release yesterday where they update on the COVID-Zero initiative:

COVID-Zero: new coalition for businesses to fund R&D | Wellcome

 

[Baroudeur]

I too am a berth holder at a Premier Marina - Brighton. They have put themselves in a difficult position by not allowing us access to our craft. I enquired about this and they sought to assure me that they are keeping watch on everything. Although I have yet to pursue this angle with them, this response implies that they are willing to make themselves responsible for the safe condition of our vessels. I very much doubt that they will agree to this and consequently they will ultimately be obliged to give us have access: not to go out on the water but to check for ourselves that the boat is safe (ropes, bilge, power etc.).

I’m at Brighton too, and the liveaboards have full access. I’m watching one of them on Instagram daily working on their boat, and whilst good for them, it’s a bit galling. Also, all of their contractors, like riggers, engineers etc, are all still working with full access too - and I’m having difficulty seeing the essential key worker part of this. Whilst premier claim they’re following government guidelines, access to and from the marina is not against the law as far as I can tell - only non-essential travel which is not for a marina to police. Given this, and the above, it’s a very fine line indeed that they’re treading.