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TWO more British boat builders have been lost, joining the now ever increasing number that are leaving the trade.
 Reading Marine, a long established business on the Kennet & Avon Canal has gone into liquidation, unable to carry on due of course to an ever decreasing order book, though still there, and 'reorganising it's position'.
The company has been established for 35 years, first supplying boats on the Thames and then moving to Aldermaston Wharf when the Kennet & Avon was reopened. In addition to boat building the company operate a fleet of hire boats on the waterway, one of which is shown in the picture.
 Another long established and well thought of company is Crown Narrowboats, but this time there is no going into liquidation for its owners Roger & Yvonne Olver, (pictured) are making sure no customer is left in the lurch, by carrying on when they know their overheads could not be met.
Roger tells us:
"The order book has dwindled to zero, and in the present climate we can't see getting two orders this year, but with our overheads we need to build four boats a year. So we have made the decision to retire. We have opted to do that and honour all our other responsibilities and shut down the business knowing we can sleep at night and that we haven't hurt anyone."
Keen boaters, the two will then take to the waterways.
As well as the downturn in boating due to its costs, the problem is blamed on cheap imports. This time on inferior foreign boats, that are built by companies with no experience of narrowboats whatsoever—some of the peculiar design faults shown in narrowboatworld—and will undoubtedly leave many with problems.
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