ST Kats vs Limehouse.

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oldgit

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Has anybody else noticed the increasing disparity in price between the two.St Kats was something of a bargain once but looks a tad expensive now.At one time it was worth paying a little extra for its prime location but now not so sure.
We normally try to stay for a long weekend which would involve a Friday arrival and a Monday departure,this now could mean with leccy £145.00 as opposed to £75 at Limehouse.
It starting to look to be to much money.
 
2 nights in Limehouse is a tad under forty sheets and the lock is well organised and responsive. CA bar is good value for drinks and the food isn't bad either.

St Kats plays a strong hand on its location but takes the whatsit on organisation and price, >2x the cost of Limehouse.
 
I agree, we did 3 nights in Limehouse for same reason.
If you want a night out to Theatreland, the Number 15 bus even goes right from Limehouse to Aldwych.
The people running Limehouse are excellent too.
Didn't miss St Kats at all.
 
St K's doesn't look quite so bad if you want to stay for a week. The weekly rate offers a significant reduction on 7 x the daily rate. Lecky works the same way too.
 
Limehouse v St Kats is now no contest.
Limehouse is not only cheaper but is more user friendly,the staff are always very helpful and the locking procedure is a slick operation.
We have been to both this year (Limehouse twice) both with a club cruise and on our own.Limehouse still offer a discount for club bookings which St Kats no longer does.
Getting around from Limehouse is easy with the DLR and buses on the doorstep.
Im afraid that after 25 years St Kats is off our list.
 
Shame but...........

My feeling is that St Kats is now an interesting area for tourists with the attraction of a few boats for added ambience whereas Limehouse has remained what it always was,a marina whose main purpose is boats.
 
Have always said that at St Kats, it feels like us boaters are only there because they want something for the tourists to look at. It now sounds like they are trying to price the smaller / older boats out, so that the tourists get to look at posh boats.

Limehouse gets my vote, very helpful staff.
 
And...........

Last visit to St Kats no hoses provided on pontoons to fill water tank, luckily managed to borrow one from another boater.
Last lock-in quoted at 14:00, contact made 13:20 get there 13:30 and gate shut, gate reopened but felt like I was causing them inconveinance.
Guy can be quite sharp on the radio too.

Rich.
 
Yes got to agree, we were last there in 2009 for 5 nights and paid £32 a night, but thought it was worth it, just checked on there website and it would now be £43, thats a significant increase:eek: Reckon they are looking forward to the Olympics as they are already fully booked for that period.

Locking procedure is also a complete joke, just a complete free for all and they don't answer the radio.
 
Ha thats nothing.:)

Worst thing we had was in Chelsea.
They completely forgot about us,there was me already to go at 6.00am sharp waiting to go into to lock to catch last of the down tide and no sign of staff.
Forunately had mobile No of somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody else who had phone number of berthing person.
 
If you have a WSB, Limehouse is free, but they keep you away from the others, just in case you get contaminated :p :p

Wasn't there some sort of reciprocal arrangement with the CA, or did that end when BW took over the marina?

The lockie doesn't use the VHF because:-
  • It's Inland Waterways = use a mobile phone
  • The kit is up two flight of stairs in an office used as a tea room
  • It's probably broken
  • The lockie doesn't have a licence
Much of that is true..
I'm sure if somebody complained loudly to the PLA that something might change - probably only for a short time, until everyone forgets.
 
My vote also for Limehouse, never had a radio issue calling C80 at Tower Bridge lock is ready and waiting when you get to the dock. Have found St Kats a pain, waiting outside on the buoy for a long time in sometimes fairly unpleasant conditions seemingly for no reason other than they like you to wait.

Limehouse also had a good plug on the TV last Sunday night in 'U Be Dead'
 
In Limehouse on Monday night with Deben Rover, on route to Brighton. Can highly recommend the bar food at the CA, particularly the lady behind the bar's Polish herring in various sauces starter. The Polish dumplings with beef had run out, I expect because similarly so good.
(bit OT) Had very good experience at Ramsgate, arrived about 9pm, asked for fuel because we were leaving 4am, and the council employees opened it up for us.

IanC
 
TrueBlue said:
If you have a WSB, Limehouse is free, but they keep you away from the others, just in case you get contaminated :p :p

Wasn't there some sort of reciprocal arrangement with the CA, or did that end when BW took over the marina?

The lockie doesn't use the VHF because:-
  • It's Inland Waterways = use a mobile phone
  • The kit is up two flight of stairs in an office used as a tea room
  • It's probably broken
  • The lockie doesn't have a licence
Much of that is true..
I'm sure if somebody complained loudly to the PLA that something might change - probably only for a short time, until everyone forgets.
Click to expand...



*The only boats that park "free" are holders of British waterways licences, they park on the public visitors mooring
*The lockie does use the VHF on INTERNATIONAL channel 80
*You may use mobile phone IF you are less than 45 feet long, but radio is preferred
*Some of the "kit" is up ONE flight of stairs, but portable radios are also used
*The lockie(s) DO have licences
*The PLA has nothing to do with the Lock or visitors mooring (supplied and maintained by Britishwaterways) or the marina (BWML)
:)
 
Still a relative newbie to the tidal thing - done St k about six times and limehouse once after an aborted attempt to get to Chatham in a force 8 wind over tide. Limehouse locking ever so slick, staff very helpful (especially since we arrived unannounced, wet, cold and miserable!) and cheap. St k locking and staff are pretty much a joke - having booked on the web and phoned the day before with an eta, When we arrived they claimed we hadn't booked and they weren't sure they had space for us! Finally convinced them to let us in (after 11 hours to get there and another hour doing the bouncy waiting in the pool business..). Having said all that - St k's location is still second to none. I'm going to keep using them for the moment - as I said, relative tidal newbie so it's still all a big adventure every time we go, but when I eventually get bored with the epic locking drama and indifferent staff, I'll chose to go the relaxing route of limehouse.
 
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