Chasewater repair stops festivals

Published: Monday, 15 February 2010

TWO BCN festivals have been cancelled owing to the repairs on Chasewater Reservoir and the subsequent lack of water.

The organisers of  the annual Birmingham Canal Navigations Society  marathon cruise in May and the return of Pelsall Canal Festival in June for the first time since 1997, have both been cancelled.

However, the seven-day Explorer Cruise, will still go ahead on the 5th June, but will be restricted to just 20 boats.

With the work required on the failing Chasewater Reservoir, that supplies the BCN, there will be a shortage of water, due to it being drained.

Of the problems, society spokeswoman Jenny Maxwell explained:

"While summer cruising will not be affected at normal levels, so people will still be able to come on holidays and use the canals, it would be difficult to hold the major events at the same time and have lots of boats on the canals while this work is being done.  The whole of the [BCN] canal system is going to be affected to some degree."