BARRY HOLLAND asked Since when Trevor? There has always been demand for moorings in the basin rather than adjacent to the Red Lion pub up the Stratford Canal and the application of the licence requirement to go down onto the Avon probably made people complain that there were not enough moorings on BW waters. Jim Shead's site states that the basin is often full and refers to a WW publication of May 2000 that infers that pontoons are being considered for the Basin.
There are permanent moored boats in the basin. Countess of Evesham (Lunch and Dinner excursions on the Avon), The baguette barge, Ice Cream vendor, floating gallery and double o depot youth project (have I missed one or two). All on the park side of the basin and dock opposite the entrance to the bridge. I wouldn't have said jam packed like Little Venice as there is a limitation on the mooring pontoons if my memory serves me correctly (48 hours??), so no residential boats. We visit the town maybe 5 or 6 times a year now for the theatre primarily (from an initial annual pilgrimage once a year from 2000 onwards) and always make our way to the basin for a baguette and a wander round. The occupants of the stern moored boats are normally tinkering with something in their engine compartment or have a deck chair on the pontoon which lies parallel with the original basin side and secures the arm pontoons. Some bow moorers are seated round their cockpit if it is big enough. Most are pleased to engage in conversation (or are they just being polite). Duke and Duchess the Hotel Boats were moored there for a few days this summer on a change over. I would say there were 50% hire boats and 50% private boats there last Friday when we arrived. The biggest let down this year was the poor showing of the Rose Bed (to the left of the Avon Lock as you descend) which is normally very well maintained especially in a year that has been very good for roses. Maybe they had a vision the floods would ruin them anyway. Trevor
