We haven't been trading that long so this was our first time trading at Stoke Bruerne. We arrived about 5pm on Thursday night ready for trading the weekend.
Friday 23rd August
All the new signage is in place stating the new rules start today when on the Internet it stated the start date was tomorrow. Also some of the arrows were pointing the wrong way causing confusion there too. Zones were not clearly marked on the towpath so we just guessed that the first couple of zones would be between the tunnel mouth and the top lock. Shortly after us another trader arrived and tied up.
In the afternoon an Un-uniformed volunteer on his first day arrived and started taking numbers, we advised him there was an anomaly being that the signage stated it started today but CART website states it doesn't start till tomorrow? He phones CRT fella who arrives within the hour to argue the case till he is shown the evidence on the cart website and backs down. (After volunteer has already taken our number). A reasonably heated discussion ensues with said CRT employee who hasn't spoken to anyone who is against the VM changes and as far as he is concerned everyone is all for it apart from us.
We were given a map which showed the various zones. The third trade boat which arrived earlier
Moved down two locks to the next available zone.
Saturday 24th August.
Another Trade boat arrived today which had phoned Suzie Mercer I believe and booked a three day stay in the zone we were in, to enable them to meet some family which were due to visit. They, i beleive were unaware of the two trader limit and wasnt advised by Ms Mercer when they called either. So now we have three trade boats in one zone lol. That afternoon Julia Moore and Jeff Wyatt arrived to take numbers and a very awkward situation arose when they arrived at our boat. There was a chap, who I have spoken to on the internet many times moored in front of us, he is most unhappy with various members of the CART 'team' and had been telling us all sorts of horror stories earlier in the day. He happened to be chatting to Yogi as Jeff Wyatt approached. The chap in question greeted him politely, and the conversation went something like this:
Neigbour: 'Mr Wyatt'.
JW 'Ah Mr &&&&& , I didn't recognise you with your teeth'.
Neighbour: 'Pardon?'
JW ' erm, I didn't recognise you with your glasses'
It was quite awkward and obvious that Mr Wyatt didn't like my neighbour.
To try and dilute the situation a bit, I asked why CART had imposed a two trader limit? To be told that the RCTA had requested the limit and not CART. I didn't think this was the case and explained that it had been enforced by CART upon us as an exchange for being able to stay for two extra days. But they were both adamant, this was not the case, RCTA has stipulated the restriction and went on to say they 'had hoped that traders would police themselves'. This made me a bit cross and I said I would check with the RCTA as I was sure this was not the case.
This prompted our neighbour to point out various other instances where CART had said stuff that wasn't true or accurate. Including, how CART had said they had had loads of complaints regarding Visitor Moorings being full, but a FOI request proved this to be untrue.
Mr Wyatts attitude towards our neighbour was terrible, he became very aggressive, shouting 'he did not appreciate being called a liar!' This then degenerated into what I can only describe as a slanging match. For a CART representative to behave in such a way is unacceptable.
It was awful to witness, to have such a blazing row, using such insulting language was very unprofessional and definitely not the behaviour I would have expected from someone at that level of management. I have never met him before, I have a fair impression of him now, and its not a good one.
That evening I advised the RCTA what had happened and was advised that Susie Mercer stipulated the limit. I became more cross. People in a position of authirity, giving information to the public need to be giving the correct information. If I had not been a member of the RCTA and known the truth of the matter I would have taken Julia Moore at her word. Ending up very misinformed.
Sunday 25th August
Jeff Wyatt appeared again today, taking numbers and hovering outside my boat. My neighbour was sitting in his chair on the bank soaking up the sun.
I engaged him in conversation, I felt I had to, he was hovering. So I asked him about the lack of 14 day VM at Stoke Bruerne. Saying I thought, seeing as CC's made up 10% of boaters, shouldn't 10% of VM space be allocated to14 days?
He explained about how years ago VM were marked up as 14 days to give boaters a different place to moor, to enjoy different areas etc. (or words to that effect, I cant remember exactly). He then went on to say that there will no longer be any 14 day visitor moorings . The definition of a VM will be a place to moor that is less than 14 days. Basic towpath moorings will be 14 days and visitor moorings will always be less. He said he planned to mow extra grass on either side of the visitor moorings to make it easier for people to moor outside the VM for 14 day's and wouldn't be putting any rings in ( which would make it a facility).
I said thank you and turned to serve a customer, or do something to politely indicate the conversation had ended.
Mr Wyatt went and sat apx 10 feet away on the bank just behind my neighbour, opposite his boat. He played with his paperwork and made a phone call, all the while watching my neighbour, who was sitting facing me so had his back to him. He sat there for ages, looking very aggravated and gave me the impression he was trying to goad my neighbour. You could actually cut the atmosphere he was creating with a knife. It prompted me to advise my neighbour to 'stay calm and don't rise to it'.
After about ten minutes Mr Wyatt approached my neighbour with some paperwork. 'I have to give you this' he said with no explanation of what it was. I thought it was a ticket.
'No thank you, don't want it' was my neighbours reply
'Thats your choice' he continued still holding the folded paper out ' but I have to give it to you'
'What is it? I asked as it seemed we were not getting anywhere with the paper transfer.
It was explanitory notes stating that if my neighbour was here tomorrow he would incur the £25 per day fine/charge. He explained he didn't need a copy as he planned to move to the next zone tomorrow. I asked him to give it to me as I would be interested in reading it.
We also mentioned that instead of giving every visiting boat 2-3 leaflets per visit perhaps the charity's money could be better spent on some clear explanatory signage. Again we were told everyone apart from us it would seem thought it far better to make all those copies.
So, it would seem that everyone that CART speak to is all for the changes but everyone I spoke to was against and I made a point of staying on the fence when I spoke.
I was told by some boaters that it was actually the villagers that pushed for the restrictions as they didn't like the 'scruffy boats' staying there. Don't know how true that was but by the end of the weekend Stoke Bruerne had lost all its charm for me. We left Sunday evening as by this time we had had enough. I don't think we will be returning any time soon either.
