BW came out worse in cancellation

IT HAS just been confirmed that British Waterways came out worse when the Liverpool Boat Show was cancelled, paying much more than Liverpool City Council.

The council handed over £125,000 to the organisers of the ill-fated and poorly researched Liverpool Boat Show, and though it is now in  negotiations to recover some of the money, have been told it went towards 650 yards of pontoons.

Four times as much

But British Waterways had paid four times the amount for the  pontoons—£500,000—that now stand empty, as was reported in narrowboatworld at the time.

It was London-based Marine Industry Events that pulled out of the event in January, as the downturn in boating had left it with few exhibitors, and even some of those pulling out, having little confidence in the much trumpeted event.

Generate millions

The council gave the money as part of its agreement to sponsor the 10 days event, which was expected to generate millions for the local economy.

It was James Gower, Event Director of Marine Industry Events who told Liverpool Council that its money had gone towards installing new pontoons in the Albert Dock complex telling that there is now effectively a brand new marina!