RE-PRICING OF 12 MONTH MOORING PERMITS 2015
MOORINGS AREA REPORT FOR WELSH BORDERS, PEAK AND POTTERIES
Introduction This report provides the rationale for mooring price decisions for 2015. VAT is payable at the rate set by the government for the date when the permit is purchased. Profiles of privately operated sites in the area are appended. We researched and compared their prices with the Canal & River Trust rates to inform our judgements, but because this data is commercially sensitive it has not been included.
Local market overview This large geographic area includes the Llangollen, Montgomery, most of the Shropshire Union, a majority of the Trent & Mersey, the Macclesfield, Caldon, Peak Forest and Ashton Canals. It is predominantly rural but easily accessed from large conurbations including Manchester, Stoke on Trent and Wolverhampton, as well as the many market towns along the route of these waterways. The Trust directly manages 40 sites in this area. In addition to the Trust’s Long Term Moorings berths, there are approximately 3900 berths in privately operated online and offline basin or in marinas across the market area. Thus the total market comprises of some 4200 berths.
Analysis of Auctioned Vacancies
Total Auctions Total Total Current Site Name (inc. Relists) Successful No. of Capacity Since April Auctions Bidders 2012 Bettisfield 11 5 1 1
Froncysyllte 6 9 1 1
Higher Poynton 19 15 8 11
Bosley Top Lock 12 11 2 2
Red Bull Top 12 1 0 0
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Maesbury Wharf 3 3 0 0
Bugsworth Basin 4 7 2 3
New Mills 10 11 3 3
Ring O'Bells 10 11 4 4
New Mills 10 2 0 0
Whaley Bridge 17 24 10 10
Stoke Hall Lane 17 12 4 4
Greenfield Lock 3 7 1 1
Calveley Offside 6 2 2 5
Calveley Towpath 17 14 4 6
Henhull 18 13 1 1
Nantwich 10 12 3 3
Audlem Town Lock 10 9 8 14
Tyrley Wharf 5 2 2 2
Nodens Victoria Wharf 4 1 1 1
Norbury Towpath 10 15 4 5
Shelmore 13 4 3 4
Shelmore Residential 13 1 1 3
Red Lion Barnton 11 8 1 1
Anderton Offside 4 4 1 1
Croxton Lane 4 8 1 1
Private operator reference sites We have identified the following privately operated mooring sites as being the most relevant to the Trust’s sites for price comparison purposes:
New Mills Chirk Marina Venetian Marine Portland Basin’ Maestermyn Marina Overwater Marina Marina Blackwater Marina Middlewich Boats Furness Vale Marina Whixall Marina Nantwich Canal Centre Elias Wilde Swanley Marina Swanley Marine Ashton Packet Boat Co. Merrells Offside Tom’s Moorings Lower Wharf Street Kings Lock Boat Yard Holidays afloat
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Orchard Marina Aqueduct Marina (Church Teds Boat Yard Uplands Marina Minshull) North Cheshire Cruising Club Anderton Marina Lyme View Marina Marineville Jalsea Marine Heritage Marina Dolphin Boats Northwich Marina Festival Park Smithson Park Farm Marina
Brief profiles of the Trust’s and these privately operated sites are summarised in an appended table.
Challenges to Pricing Decisions
We have made the pricing recommendations below based on a thorough review of auction results and local knowledge. It is our policy, set at Board level, to set prices which reflect market rates and to compete fairly with private operators. The Trust has neither powers nor duty to provide subsidised moorings. If you feel that the price decision made for your mooring site is unjustified having read this report, we ask that you write to the Head of Direct Managed Moorings explaining why you think it is the case. Please explain the reasoning for your challenge including evidence such as price and descriptions of nearby privately operated mooring sites. We will not amend the price without this evidence. We will consider your representation and respond in writing within two working weeks. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may request that the matter is dealt with through our formal complaints procedure.
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Pricing conclusions
The table below summarises our site-by-site conclusions across the area. Prices include VAT @ 20%.
Site Name 2014 Price Price from Notes on pricing decision April 2015
Llangollen Canal Bettisfield Offside £86.54 £77.88 Advertised twice over last 12 months, no interest or bids received Froncycyllte £86.54 £73.55 Listed 7 times over the last 2 years, 1 berth purchased at Reserve Price, other 6 receiving no bids.
Macclesfield Canal Higher Poynton £97.03 £97.03 Recent sales have all been at reserve, price held.
Bosley Top lock £95.13 £95.12 Low churn on site. Recent sales have been at reserve. Redbull Basin £115.04 £120.80 Popular site with little churn, currently full.
Montgomery Canal Maesbury Wharf £103.40 £105.99 Very low turnover
Peak Forest Canal Bugsworth Basin £77.55 £79.49 Popular site located within Bugsworth Basin with good access to facilities within the basin. Low churn on site. New Mills Mooring £67.77 £61.00 Little demand, spaces on site not selling.
Whaley Bridge £87.12 £87.12 High turnover of vacancies on this site which do tend to sell usually at the reserve price.
Shropshire Union Canal Stoke Hall Lane £98.60 £98.60 A number of vacancies at this site have recently become available; one has recently sold at reserve. Chester Dee Branch £78.66 £80.63 Only 1 craft
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Site Name 2014 Price Price from Notes on pricing decision April 2015 Greenfield Lock £79.87 £79.87 Small site which is currently full (3 boats), little churn on site.
Calveley Offside North £90.22 £94.73 Popular Site which is currently full, no churn
Calveley Offside South £94.00 £98.71 Popular Site which is currently full, no churn Calveley Towpath £98.91 £103.86 Popular Site which is currently full, no churn Barbridge Site 1 £97.68 £102.56 Never Auctioned, no vacancies Barbridge Site 2 £97.68 £102.56 Never Auctioned, no vacancies Henhull £85.79 £77.21 Access is required via tender to reach moorings. Listed 6 times over the last 2 years with all listing not receiving any bids Nantwich £93.66 £84.29 Poor results over last 2 years with only 1 berth purchased at Reserve Price with another 4 auctions having no bids. 2 boats have since left and not been replaced. Proposing to decrease length of moorings to increase visitor moorings, in consultation with Waterways. Audlem North £84.16 £88.38 Strong sales, popular area Audlem Town Lock £84.16 £86.27 Strong sales, popular area Tyrley Wharf £82.52 £84.57 Popular site with little churn. Nodens £86.03 £90.34 Resi Site - sales now about guide Grub Street £76.31 £80.12 No churn - Never Auctioned Norbury towpath £84.17 £71.54 Towpath mooring with vacancies. Hasn’t sold well at auction Shelmore Offside £111.27 £114.06 Popular site with little churn Shelmore Residential £128.97 £141.87 Residential mooring popular at this location with 1 mooring reaching nearly double its Reserve Price
Trent & Mersey Canal Bartington £77.14 £79.06 Only 1 boat on site. Site is highlighted for closure when current boat leaves. Valley Farm £77.14 £77.14 Towpath in poor condition, becomes very muddy in winter. Wash wall immediately adjacent to site requires work as has collapsed. Hold price to retain existing customer base.
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Site Name 2014 Price Price from Notes on pricing decision April 2015 Red Lion, Barnton £87.05 £78.34 Little demand, spaces on site not selling through auction. Anderton £116.33 £122.14 No churn, popular site with on-site water and electric and close proximity to services. Ollershaw Lane £77.14 £79.06 No churn, popular site.
Croxton Lane £74.93 £67.44 Little demand, spaces on site have been advertised on numerous occasions. Redbull Offside £98.88 £98.88 Site to be closed down, April 2015 Hardingswood £106.22 £111.54 Small site, only 3 spaces. No churn or auction data.
Jenny Whitehall Head of Direct Managed Moorings
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APPENDIX 1
MOORING SITE COMPARISONS
Site Name Setting Mooring amenity Facilities
New Mills Marina Semi rural location , 5 minutes drive Marina with Pontoon berths Slipway, water, electric, diesel from the local town Portland Basin Semi rural Marina with Pontoon berths Toilets; Showers; Electric; Elsan/pump out; Chandlery, Marina diesel; Dry dock & hard standing Furness Vale Semi rural Marina with Pontoon berths Toilets; Car parking; Water points; Pump out; Refuse; Electricity; Security; Chandlery, diesel; Dry dock Warble Wharf Semi rural On line offside moorings No on site facilities Ashton Packet Semi rural On line offside moorings Water point and refuse disposal; Toilets, Elsan; Car Boat Company parking; Electricity; Security; Laundry & postal service Lower Wharf Semi rural On line offside moorings No on site facilities Street Top Lock Marine Semi rural On line offside moorings & Drinking water, refuse disposal, elsan, diesel & gas small basin Orchard Marina Semi-rural; Main road access good, but Marina and linear offside; ; Elsan ; Water care required at entrance to marina Uplands Marina Semi-rural; Road access good; Near to Marina; Fuel; Gas; Coal; Near to Anderton Boat Lift; Small village of Anderton general store within walking distance. Anderton Marina Semi-rural; Near to Anderton Village Marina; Water; Diesel; Gas; Slipway; Workshop; Near to Anderton Boat Lift ; Shop on site; Boat hire; Road access good near to Anderton village with general shop on main road; Dry Dock Jalsea Marine Semi-rural; Near to Northwich town Marina and linear offside; Electricity; Water; Toilet; Shower; Diesel; Elsan; centre Reasonable road access; Northwich town centre about 1 hour’s cruise (through Hunts Lock); Car park Northwich Marina Town Centre; Basin; Slipway; Storage; Water; Electric; Calor Gas; Good road access; Shops, banks, post office, pubs, restaurants in the town centre a short walk away; Car park North Cheshire Semi-rural Basin; Shops, cafes, pubs Electricity; Water; Elsan; Refuse disposal; Boat houses Cruising club nearby at High Lane; (not for every boat)
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Site Name Setting Mooring amenity Facilities
Chirk Marina Rural; Reasonable road access on Marina Drinking water; Elsan disposal; Pump out; Diesel and gas Llangollen to Chirk road Maestermyn Rural; 5 miles cruise to Ellesmere; Online offside Water ; Pump out; Gas; Reasonable road access; Pylon Marina near to site Blackwater Rural; Marina Water; Pump out; Fuel; Electric; Engineering Services; Marina Reasonable road access; Ellesmere town centre within walking distance. Whixall Marina Rural; Reasonable road access Marina Toilets; Showers; Laundry; Pump out; Elsan; Water; Fuel; Dry dock; Swanley Marina Rural; Part of a working farm; Marina Toilets; Showers; Wi-Fi; Engineering; Elsan; Good road access; Nantwich town centre about 4 miles by road with good shops, pubs, restaurants Merrells Offside Rural; Near Grindley Brook locks; Lay-by Near village of Grindley Brook limited shops; near to service station; parking on main road; Café within ten minute walk; Pub within ten minute walk. Short bus journey to Whitchurch. ; Good road access to Chester, Shrewsbury and Mid Wales Kings Lock Boat Suburban; Just outside Middlewich Basin Water; Near to Middlewich town centre; Pub nearby; Boat Yard town centre; repairs on site; Private moorings Aqueduct Marina Rural Marina Electricity and water to each boat; Pump out; Elsan (Church disposal; Showers; Toilets; Laundry; Boat repairs on Minshull) site; Dry dock, hard standing, slipway; Shop and café; Car park; B&B at farm; PP for holiday cottages; Pub 5 mins by car Venetian Marina Rural; Good road access to Nantwich Marina Water; Pump out; Electricity; Elsan; Showers; Toilets; Gift and Crew and access to M6; shop; Chandlery; Brokerage; Hard standing; Reasonable road access Nantwich canal Semi-rural; Just outside Nantwich town Basin Shop on site; Secure parking; Boat repairs; Chandlery; centre centre Pump out; Water; Diesel; Elsan; Engineering services; Nantwich town centre within walking distance; Shops, pubs, restaurants nearby Overwater Rural located near to Nantwich & Marina Marina Audlem canal centres.
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Site Name Setting Mooring amenity Facilities
Toms moorings Semi-rural; Just outside Market Drayton Basin Water; Car parking; Near to Market D; Shops, pubs nearby. Teds Boat Yard Semi rural; Just outside Market Drayton Basin Near to Market D; Shops, pubs, wine bars nearby North Cheshire Some boat houses; Secure Basin Electricity; Water; Elsan; Refuse disposal Cruising club Marineville Rural; Near village of Higher Poynton; Marina Water; Car park; Small chandlery within walking distance; Access over an accommodation Shops, café and pub in Higher Poynton about five mins bridge – care required by car. ; Lime View Rural; About 5 mins by car from village of Marina Fuel; Water; Elsan; Pump out; Café in village of Adlington Marina Adlington ; Heritage Marina Semi-rural; Marina Water; Electric; Elsan Festival Park Urban; Good road access Marina Diesel; Elsan; Pump out Smithsons Semi rural Online offside Diesel/coal; Parking; Water; Shared electricity; Easy access Dolphin Boats Ba Basic Mooring ; Online offside Water; Slipway
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