A significant upheaval is currently affecting pleasure boat operators in St Ives, Cornwall, as new regulations imposed by the local council threaten to destabilise their longstanding traditions and operations. With the summer season underway, business owners are expressing deep concerns about their financial futures, claiming they have already incurred losses of approximately £50,000 this year.

Historically, ticket sellers for pleasure boat excursions have operated near the town’s lifeboat station, a practice that has persisted for over a century. These entrepreneurs are now facing substantial fines — starting at £100 and potentially escalating to £1,000 along with criminal records for continued violations. The new policy has drastically reduced the number of permitted booths from 16 to just 10, effectively limiting the operators’ ability to attract customers during the peak tourist season.

The operators contend that the council’s decision to implement these restrictions has blindsided them, with many suggesting it threatens the very fabric of St Ives’ community and local economy. “Gutted,” is how Matt Spencer Smith, who manages multiple pleasure boat trips from the harbour, described the situation. He stated, “The council started coming down and fining people £100; they said if they catch us a certain amount of times it would go up to £1k and then to a criminal record.” He warned that continued enforcement of these regulations could lead to devastating outcomes for many families, stating, “Businesses aren’t going to survive, people who have got loans could lose their jobs and some people could even lose their homes. Around 30 staff could be left with no jobs.”

The St Ives Town Council maintains that the ban on touting for business was enacted in response to safety concerns raised by local businesses, particularly the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). They argued that the presence of ticket sellers near the lifeboat station posed health and safety risks. Despite the council’s rationale, many within the community feel that vital livelihoods are at stake. Business owners, finding themselves in a precarious position, have resorted to methods such as protests and legal action in hopes of regaining their footing.

The St Ives Boat Association articulated their frustration, revealing that despite continuous dialogues with the council, they feel no significant progress has been made in resolving the issues at hand. “We are now three weeks into the season and pretty much no further forward,” the association noted in a statement. They lamented the council’s heavy-handed approach, including instances where police were dispatched to enforce the new rules, causing distress among merchants.

The potential impact on local families has been described as “detrimental and damaging,” raising questions about the motivations behind the council’s restrictions. “Our only way forward now is protests, petitions and legal action,” stated members of the association. They questioned why the addition of six more ticket sellers at a designated location would pose such a problem for the council, arguing that the consequences of their actions could be dire for the local economy.

As businesses brace for the summer season, many operators are anxiously awaiting the outcome of upcoming bank holiday weekends, which they hope will provide a much-needed influx of customers to sustain their enterprises. Without significant changes or relief from the council, the future of pleasure boat operations in St Ives remains uncertain.

Source: Noah Wire Services