More on Fish and Duck

My first visit to the Fish and Duck since the recent renovations -and, despite the fact there's no pub yet, I was impressed.
I like the website graphics, I liked John who is marina manager and who showed me round (after checking me out that I was not snooping with intent!) and I liked the way they have cleared the site, invested in electricity and water, improved the marina and provided floating pontoons ... Yes, I could see myself happily moored up at the Fish and Duck. They have high standards and are being firm about maintaining them. Quite a change from the laissez faire regime of liveaboards with gardens and sheds and dogs and junk. There's a place for them, but sometimes free spirits get their anchors  too firmly dug in and take advantage of benign hosts.
This is a marina in progress, but it looks like a good time to get in. The access road is undergoing more improvement since the surface recently became rutted, so that should be better soon. There are plans for a taverna style eatery - which appeals to me, and I'm delighted it is not to be a gastro pub. They have access to a mobile crane and can arrange dry docking with Stretham Marina (more good folks with ambitions for excellent marinas). Parking seems well organised, mooring payment is one month in advance and "time of payment is of the essence", but there is no lengthy period of being tied to 6 months or a year as many marinas do.
So for £47 per foot per year on average, with additional charges for electricity if you choose, which is a high end charge compared to what we pay, you get a perfectly placed marina at the confluence of three great rivers: the Old West, The Great Ouse and The Cam.
A trip of a few hours could take you to the Lazy Otter, Cambridge (The Five Miles), or Ely (The Cutter). On a sunny day, what more could you wish?
I must add that I have no involvement in the Fish and Duck apart from a keen desire to see a good marina and a drinking hole on this excellent spot. I wish the owners and the manager well - it's a very good start!
Photos on an overcast day I'm afraid, but quite a contrast with this time last year. I expect to see the place full of keen boaters by the end of this year.

Fish and Duck Marina Reopens

Following a great deal of commotion in clearing liveaboards from the Fish and Duck at Popes Corner on the Ouse (our old stomping ground with Patience) as described in a previous post, we now hear that the Fish and Duck has reopened.
According to Waterways World there have been major refurbishments with additional moorings, "smart" electricity meters and water points. The access road has been repaired and planted with flowers along its edges and the whole place brought up to scratch.
THe owners are now turning their attention to rebuilding the pub, which was a popular watering hole for over 100 years and was demolished a few years ago.
Congratulations for all their hard work to Davina and James at www.fishandduck.co.uk If it's as good as they say we might be tempted to bring Patience back to the Ouse before long!

Fish and Duck

That's the marina and one-time pub at Pope's Corner near Stretham, not a description of local wildlife.
Patience was moored at The Lazy Otter, just up the Old West River from Pope's Corner, and we passed by often - sometimes wishing that we could pop in to have a pint - but unfortunately the old pub had been demolished before we bought Patience.
Here's a great pic of the old pub, closed in 2006.

  © Copyright Richard Thomas and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

 
and another ...

  © Copyright Fractal Angel and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

However in the last couple of years the site has been cleared as if in preparation for new work, while the folks who liveaboard still cluster around the edges. It has to be admitted that some of the boats are not in great condition, but it does seem to be a community and one that has put down roots.

© Copyright Cambridge News. Picture 865352

Now there is a row as the owners want to upgrade and improve the facilities, but in the process they want to clear away the liveaboard community. Although they have given a good period of notice it's hard to think where the live-in boaters would move to. There's nothing available locally as far as I know.
I feel sorry for both sides - not to mention the fact that we would have happily frequented any new pub built on the site, as a short half day trip from our moorings at The Lazy Otter.
You can find more detail in two Cambridge News articles here and here.
Marina contact details are here.