Sue wrote: > >Tut tut don't you know that not showing a licence doesn't mean they > >haven't got one.
Dave added: > Isn't the offence "not displaying a valid licence"? Maybe so, and the absence of a displayed licence inflames those who do display their licences. But the loss to BW is from those who don't pay, not those who pay, but don't display. In the past it was necessary to display a licence to enable local BW staff to check who was licensed and who was not. I thought that nowadays BW staff carried computers with a copy of the whole licence database on, so they can check on the spot (from the boat name and number) whether it is licensed. The problem of non-display is in part of BW's own making. I know from experience that you can get your licence renewal in on time to get the prompt payment discount, but not receive the licence until some time after the previous one has expired. Maybe they should put the cut-off date for prompt payment at (say) a month before the previous licence expires to allow time for the new licence to be displayed by the time it comes into effect. And for those whose home mooring is not close to where they live, it is surely reasonable to allow a certain period of time between receipt of the licence and travelling to the boat to display it. David Mack
