Overseas visitors returning to the waterways

BOAT hirers from across the world are returning to the waterways for their holidays now that the coronavirus pandemic has eased.

One such family run hire company, Andersen Boats in Middlewich, has seen an upsurge in bookings from its overseas customers, Alan Tilbury reports.

Founded in 1973

Pauline Andersen, whose husband Neil and father Frederick, founded the company in 1973, told the Winsford & Middlewich Guardian:

"We're busy both with regulars and new visitors.  We have had some from overseas including Holland. They have driven not flown over and said they had a lovely time.  We are pretty well booked up for next month with just a few short breaks available."

Visitors from all over the world

The company normally attracts visitors from all over the world including Norway, Scandinavia, America and New Zealand, but lockdown left the company without any income as it has many others, but as with the others, some that had booked took refunds whilst luckily many  transferred their holidays to later this year or next year.

Of course stringent coronavirus safety measures are now in place, with even a mock-up of all the equipment being created in a workshop to show holidaymakers how to use the toilet, boiler and other mechanics instead of staff showing visitors onboard.

Intensively cleaned

The staff all wear PPE and they steam all the soft furnishings with the whole boat then having to be intensively cleaned and staggered arrivals and embarkation times introduced.