Unacceptable behavior by Abingdon Marina

[Medskipper]

A friend of mine has been searching for a boat. Last Saturday we viewed a boat he saw advertised but was very disappointed so we left.
There were three of us so we had a spot of lunch and I suggested that we visit a few marinas around. He is quite taken with a Fairline Mirage so we googled marinas with one for sale Abingdon came up so off we went, we arrived around 3:30-4.pm. And made our way to the entrance gate. It was locked! But there was a sign telling people to phone a number and you would be attended to.
this we did and a young lady popped out of the office and came to the gate. We told her we wanted to look at a boat they had and we were told that the manager was away for a couple of weeks and we could not enter! She also said that an appointment had to be made but not until the manager was back! Whilst we were talking to her two other families came and also wanted to view a boat for sale, they of course were also turned away! Unbelievable, it's summer time when people are looking and their gates are locked. I feel sorry for the people who are trying to sell their boats! I would be furious if I knew potential customers were being told to go away!
Sales people they are not!

 

[byron]

There's lots of odd quirks about Abingdon Marina that leave me scratching my head.

 

[bumperdump]

Nice boats the fairline mirages.

 

[prof pat pending]

On the other hand, I'm quite happy that my boat is safe behind a locked gate :encouragement:

Odd....no Fairlines for sale in Abingdon marina.
http://www.premiermarineltd.co.uk/80735/info.php?p=2&pno=0

 

[Medskipper]

On the other hand, I'm quite happy that my boat is safe behind a locked gate.

Of course I understand that! Most marinas I have used have locked gates and pontoons and I've been boating 30 years or more.
But when boats are for sale people are usually supervised, besides we were all mature people and other marinas we visited allowed us to look at boats with no problem. I suggest if ever you wish to sell your boat GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!
I've been in sales all my working life and even trained sales people, see it,touch it, try it and they might just buy it!
Lock them out and you will NOT get a sale!

 

[prof pat pending]

Please see the edit

ps: she very much appreciated being referred to as a young lady

 

[landlockedpirate]

If you really want to have some fun, try finding a key for the height restriction to use the slipway

 

[prof pat pending]

I have one

 

[oldgit]

Re: Unacceptable behavior ..or sensible caution ?

Young woman on her own. If she comes round with you to keep an eye on you while you look round boat,no one in office to answer phone.
Highly unlikely to sit in office and just hand you the keys to someones elses boat possibly with all their personal posessions still on board.
You like I would regard her as being perfectly safe in our company and cannot comprehend why she would have any doubts .
Very interesting programme on TV recently,it actually revolved around a cars sales site and the total lack by the male salesmen to appreciate a womans apprehension about going out for test drive with a male she did not know.
You and me would just jump in car and go without a moments hesitation.

 

[bumperdump]

If you really want to have some fun, try finding a key for the height restriction to use the slipway

http://www.stihl.co.uk/STIHL-Produc...ery/Petrol-cut-off-saws/21339-510/TS-410.aspx

 

[Chris_d]

Abingdon marina isn't really a normal marina with a sales pontoon etc...think of it as private moorings with an attendant, hence the difficulties if the manager wasn't there.

 

[prof pat pending]

The young lady in question has asked me to post this on her behalf.

Hello Medskipper,

I am the lady who would have met you at the gate, I am afraid that I do not remember you and your post does not jog my memory. As you would have seen from the car park when you visited, the marina is a very small complex. It is run by one person and when he is away I take phone messages on his behalf. I would have been acting in this capacity when you tried to gain access to the site. Adverts written for the marina all request that you phone in advance to book an appointment with the manager. Had you done so after finding the advert you speak of on Google I would have been able to save you your wasted journey by informing you that we have no Fairline Mirage for sale.

This is a key-holder only marina and security is very important to us. This is why an appointment to view a boat or mooring is imperative. There is good reason for this policy. On Saturday I met a group of individuals who, like yourself and your friends, arrived at the gate without an appointment. They were, however, unable to tell me which boat they wanted to see and they could not remember where they saw the advert, but they were adamant that they had indeed seen one. I explained to them in a calm, kind and friendly manner that the marina operates by appointment only, as stated on the advert they claimed to have seen, and that I was sorry but I was unable to show them around. One of the gentleman present was not happy with this answer and became angry, loud and intimidating. He demanded to be given the phone numbers of every individual who has a boat for sale here and became aggrieved when I told him it was not marina policy to reveal such information. This individual continued to rant and rave whilst my only security from him was the big metal gate separating us. There were four of them, and I was alone. That gate was my protection.

The safety of people who choose to moor their boats here takes priority over those who wish, on a whim, to visit. It is experiences like this one that makes me feel perfectly justified in not allowing members of the public free access to the site when the manager is unavailable.

I am sorry you feel that the marina displayed 'unacceptable behaviour' and let you down, but perhaps you might consider the fact that not every individual is as kind, caring and as nice a person as you consider yourself to be. The policy stands here to protect those of us who pay to keep our boats here. I for one, am thankful for it.

I wish your friend all the best in his search for a new boat.

 

[cagey]

Like a well written play, I didn't see that coming, very polite as well

 

[Chris_d]

Abingdon Marina has never been a place they sell boats from in the "sales" sense so its unfortunate that people are turning up unannounced, there are also no boat services there except the public slipway and that is outside the gate. Prof can confirm but I think the only reason it is even called a marina was the ambitions of the original property developers who never actually finished it off, it does seem to cause a lot of confusion.

 

[prof pat pending]

Indeed, it was originally intended to be a larger complex, with an island extending out into the lake that would have a restaurant and bar.
I believe that was thwarted by an objection to the planning permission, but can't be certain.

If you zoom in on bing maps birds eye view (rather than google) you can see how the island was expected to be

 

[Medskipper]

The young lady in question has asked me to post this on her behalf.

Thank you for that explanation. It certainly was not you that I am complaining about, it is the general concept of your marina and boat sales! In more than thirty years of boating I have never been refused entry to a marina! But I understand that a woman on her own could be at risk however small. My friend googled your site and announced that you had a Fairline for sale so we drove quite a fair distance to see it, not sure why you don't have one perhaps he was mistaken? Damn computers!

I have been very hot on sales and selling as it is an art which many don't or cannot comprehend, so I do not give a person another chance to sell me anything if in my book they don't really make an effort in the first place! However I can clearly see now that you are not a sales orientated organisation, just a mooring facility which on Saturday I was unaware of! I apologise for my mistake!

 

[No Regrets]

Perhaps people would not become so angry if they were treated in the usual way, not some weird old fashioned lazy good for nothing churlish charade.

Bray Marine Sales, nor any other broker or Marina I have ever used do not have such issues. They offer an open door facility, with staff who don't cower behind gates....

 

[Medskipper]

Perhaps people would not become so angry if they were treated in the usual way, not some weird old fashioned lazy good for nothing churlish charade.

Bray Marine Sales, nor any other broker or Marina I have ever used do not have such issues. They offer an open door facility, with staff who don't cower behind gates....

Yes quite right! What a opportunity they are missing. In this day and age they really should be making the most of their facilities? But perhaps they take so much money from people who moor there they don't need the money?

 

[No Regrets]

I can walk into any MDL or Ting Dene Marina without fuss, and highly recommend them both. I can also walk into Harrods, Tesco's, and most jewellers in the same manner.

This story is astonishing! :disgust:

 

[prof pat pending]

Perhaps people would not become so angry if they were treated in the usual way, not some weird old fashioned lazy good for nothing churlish charade.

Bray Marine Sales, nor any other broker or Marina I have ever used do not have such issues. They offer an open door facility, with staff who don't cower behind gates....

Yes quite right! What a opportunity they are missing. In this day and age they really should be making the most of their facilities? But perhaps they take so much money from people who moor there they don't need the money?

To be fair Bray and Tingdene are very different setups, but then you know that really

If they have been granted the planning permission for the plans that were originally submitted there would have been more facilities, a chandlery and a new base for the local sea cadets. As it wasn't, there is a small secure mooring and they sell a few boats. TBH it suits me, I like the quiet and the location. Oh and it's a lot cheaper than down your end of the river