'Sunk boat' was unlicensed for past four years

THE boat, Shalom,  that has sunk at Hackney Wick had been illegally moored and unlicensed for four years.

It's owner Anthony Beanlands has been the recipient of many complaints of unsocial behaviour and has been issued with warnings from both the local council and Canal & River Trust for his behaviour at the mooring on the Lee Navigation.

Cause to complain

Fellow boaters at the moorings, who treat it as their home, keep the towpath tidy and cause no problems but have had cause to complain of his activities.

Canal & River Trust and the council have issued him with warnings and an abatement notice for his extremely large and noisy generator which he runs any time during the day or night.

Late night parties

A nearby resident tells that he does not follow any of the rules nor is he considered to be a boater.  He throws his rubbish everywhere, his friends urinate on the towpath and he holds late night parties, but of top of this he has no working toilet facilities.

Boaters at the moorings state that the Trust is doing nothing to enforce either the mooring or licensing rules as far as this boat is concerned, with other boaters angry that they are being told by the enforcement officer to move along but not him.

A boater tells us the fight is still on and will celebrate the day when they finally move or tow him away.