Dear BW Lady

2nd November

Dear BW Lady

Thanks for your offer of an alternative winter mooring but I’m afraid the other London sites are not suitable for me. A few months ahead of the launch of the new online system I began liaising with BW about how best to purchase a winter mooring at Islington this year. I’ve sent emails, made phonecalls and delayed travel plans, while repeatedly checking the website throughout the launch day. Despite being on line at the correct time I was unable to purchase the mooring on that day, and a member of staff at the London office who promised to phone me when more moorings became available at Islington did not phone me.

I live aboard my narrowboat and have moored at Islington every winter for seven years. My three year old daughter has just been accepted into an Islington nursery, and my youngest has just begun childcare with an Islington based childminder. As we are not currently moored in Islington we have been getting up at 6am each day to travel to Islington. My husband works in Islington and I work nearby. It is for these reasons that I did my very best to apply for an Islington mooring this year.

I believe that I did everything within my power to try to purchase a winter mooring at my preferred site this year and I am very disappointed in the new system.

Boat Wife