Jan 12
13
See Our Boat On Cruise International
Cruise International, which is an independent guide to cruise travel dedicated to helping both the cruise holiday enthusiast and first-timers alike to enjoy the best that cruising has to offer, posted a great article on their website in December (http://cruise-international.com/the-fastest-way-to-slow-down/). The artical titled ‘Narrow Boats: The Fastest Way to Slow Down’ shows the beauty of our national heritage and taking a narrowboat holiday. It featured our Anderton Marina and the marvel of the Anderton Boat Lift.
We love hearing about people’s holidays, so if you travelled from Anderton Marina in the past and have some photos why not send them to us. We might post them on the blog, or even on our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/UK-Boat-Hire), and you can share your adventures with other narrowboaters.
Narrowboat cruising at a slow pace.
Anderton Boat Lift - english engineering at its best.
Jan 12
8
UK Boat Hire Wins An Award
UK Boat Hire have won a Certificate of Excellence Gold Award for outstanding Customer Service in 2011 from one of our UK agents Hoseasons. This is a great award to win as we work very hard on our service to customers – from initial booking, through the booking process, to the collection of the boat and then on its return.
Our bases have received various customer service training over the years, their technical training is kept up to date and our Booking Office team will always try to help with route planning. But we cannot continue our high quality service without your valued feedback. So if you come on holiday with us in 2012 please do fill in the customer satisfaction questionnaire that will be sent to you electronically. Your comments are vital to us!
Remember to book your 2012 holiday now……Bank Holidays and the Jubilee week are getting booked quickly, so book now to ensure you get the boat and route you want.
UK Boat Hire win a Customer Service Gold Award
Dec 11
12
Christmas on the canals!
Christmas is fast approaching and there are plenty of things for the family to do on the canals and rivers.
How about a Santa Cruise? The children can meet santa and enjoy a special boat trip. Some places where these magical events take place are:
- The Falkirk Wheel in the Scottish Lowlands on the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal – dates include 10-11 December, 17-18 December and 23-24 December.
- The Anderton Boat Lift on the Trent & Mersey Canal and River Weaver, Cheshire – dates include 3-4 December, 10-11 December, 17-18 December and 21-24 December.
- The National Waterways Museum, Cheshire on the Shropshire Union Canal. Not only meet Santa, but also experience the Victorian Teddy Bears Christmas. Dates include 17-18 December and 21-24 December.
- Muddy Waters Santa Cruises on the Oxford Canal – travel on the child-friendly narrowboat Muddy Waters from the village of Thrupp – dates include 3-4 December, 10-11 December and 17-18 December.
- Santa’s Grotto in the Dudley Caverns in the West Midlands – take a magical illuminated journey into the Dudley Tunnel to see Santa’s grotto in the limestone caverns. Dates include 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th & 18th December 2011, from 10am until 5pm every 30 minutes.
- Santa’s Grotto Boat Cruise at Gloucester Waterways Museum, Gloucestershire – meet Santa and get entry into the Museum. Dates include December 10th and 11th and December 17th to 24th.
- Santa’s Special Saturday at London Canal Museum – enjoy a boat trip with Father Christmas on the Regent’s Canal from the London Canal Museum including presents for the children, mince pies, refreshments and a paper-based activity for children in the museum. Date – 10th December.
Hope you have a great time if you go – we’d love to see your photos so why not send them through to tracey@abclg.com. 
Introducing the Canal and River Trust
As some of you will probably know, over the past two years British Waterways has been moving steadily towards transferring its canals and rivers to the ownership of a new waterways charity, the Canal & River Trust.
In April 2012, British Waterways’ canals and rivers in England and Wales will finally be transferred to the care of the new waterways charity and be known as the Canal & River Trust.
The government is placing these waterways in trust for the nation. The move has been championed by British Waterways and will attract new investment, secure jobs and give the public a greater say in the running of their local canal or river.
We will keep you updated on any relevant progress when the transfer takes place, but if you would like to see the new appointments and progress to date go to Waterscape.com.
If some of you attended the open days and Beer Festivals at The Weighbridge this year you will already know what a fantastic pub it is. Just to show this, it has won another CAMRA award – following the recent pub of the year awards the Alvechurch Marina pub has been awarded The CAMRA Continuing Excellence Award.
This reflects the Managers John and Jayne’s continuing dedication and commitment to providing excellent food and beer in a cosy canal side location. Congratulations to them and all of their team who do a wonderful job.
If you want t a great day by the canal next year make a note of our two Beer Festivals and Boaters Days at The Weighbridge - Saturday 12th May and Saturday 22nd September 2012.
We’ll keep you updated on who will be there, whether it be the Morris Dancers, Samba band, local producers…..or lots more!
If you are a local company and would like to attend please drop us a line. Or if you have any photos from the 2011 event send them through to share with others on here and Facebook.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The UK Boat Hire narrowboat holiday brochure is now available. There is a fabulous 20% early booking offer available on all canal boat holidays booked before 31st December 2011.
If you haven’t already received a copy you can request one now simply click here
UK Boat Hire are able to offer holidays from 14 locations around the UK’s inland waterways network.
Sep 11
20
Beer Festival in Worcestershire
Weighbridge Beer Festival
It’s the Beer Festival at The Weighbridge this weekend, which is Alvechurch Marina’s on site pub. There will be more that 30 beers, cider, perry and fruit wine available at the CAMRA award winning pub.
If you plan to visit Saturday lunchtime you will be able to watch the morris men and women perform along with a samba band.
If you are interested in purchasing a share in a boat we are also holding a shared ownership open day on Saturday so you will be able to view several boats including Eos our recently launched 54ft narrowboat.
Sep 11
13
Droitwich Canals Circuit Cruise
DROITWICH CANALS CURCUIT CRUISE
2-4th September 2011
Over the weekend of 3rd and 4th September Max Sinclair spent the weekend cruising the newly opened 21-mile canal and river loop, taking in the River Severn, the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, as well as the newly restored Droitwich Barge and Droitwich Junction canals, and navigating 33 locks along the way with six members of his family, including granddaughters Freya and Eleanor, onboard UK Boat Hire’s Horik, from its base at Worcester Marina.
After fifty years of having the vision of the canal restoration his dream was lived as he cruised along sections of the Droitwich Canals that he had spent many weekends clearing locks, trees and reeds with thousands of volunteers. He also marvelled at the newly constructed locks on the junction canal and managed not to hit his head as he navigated the tunnel under the M5 motorway that he and the late Nick Grazebrook managed to convince the County Surveyor to install during construction works of the motorway
The weekend was enjoyed by all of the family members attending and even converted those who were new to canals to take interest and Max was congratulated by many people we meet on the canal, when they found out who he was.
Hopefully this new route will bring pleasure to many as it has done for Max.
We would like to thank ABC leisure Group for the use of the boat over the weekend.
Aug 11
12
ABC and RCR team up for training.
Two market leaders have teamed up to provide staff with 12v electrical systems training.
ABC Leisure Group, the UK market leader in narrowboat hire and inland marina and waterways services, along with River Canal Rescue (RCR) who provide marine breakdown cover, trained over 30 of their engineers during March.
The training took place at Alvechurch Marina’s new dedicated training facility using 3 engine test rigs provided by RCR and their trainer, Tony Brookes. Tony is a well known technical advisor for the waterways press.
“On this occasion the training was for our staff and feedback has been extremely positive”, commented ABC’s Managing Director, Edward Helps.
“It’s our intention to open the courses up to private boaters shortly. So that they can also benefit from this training.”
Aug 11
2
Hell and High Water
Hell and High Water, by theatre company Mikron, will be performed at Alvechurch Marina this week on Thursday, August 4 starting at 7.30pm.
The show is about the building of the Bridgewater Canal during the industrial revolution.
The performance will be held at The Weighbridge Pub on-site at Alvechurch Marina.
For more information, visit mikron.org.uk