Boating Audit. Bath Boat Mooring Protest. #protest #news #mooring

Welcome people to Boating Audit. Bath Boat Mooring Protest. bettermoorings@bathness.gov.uk The Bath Boat Mooring Protest of 2026 is centered around an ongoing conflict between local houseboat residents and the Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) Council regarding an eviction order issued for vessels on the Pulteney stretch of the River Avon. In May 2026, the local authority ordered all boat owners on this highly visible, rent-free stretch near the iconic Pulteney Weir to vacate the area by 10 September 2026 or face legal enforcement action. Boaters have vowed to fight the eviction, claiming the council's motives are aesthetic rather than safety-driven. The Council's stance according to official statements from the B&NES Council Newsroom, is that removal of the vessels is a matter of public safety rather than a targeted displacement. Their primary arguments include flood hazards, the Pulteney stretch is a critical component of Bath’s flood defences and experiences high-risk water surges during severe winter weather. Safety violations officials reported include dangerous mooring practices, such as running gangplanks across public benches and securing vessels to emergency river grab lines. The council states this specific part of the river channel is not officially designated for boat navigation or mooring. The boaters' protest and backlash is stirring and more members of the boating and local community are getting behind the protest. Live-aboard residents and boat owners have strongly pushed back against the eviction deadline. Their main arguments, as covered by Somerset Live and Metro, include: "Scruffy" Aesthetics Pretext: Protesters believe the Liberal Democrat-led council wants them gone simply because their houseboats are deemed "scruffy" and supposedly ruin the view of a prime tourist spot. Development pressures have caused some boaters to allege the sudden enforcement is politically motivated to clear the riverside ahead of the proposed development of a new stadium for Bath Rugby nearby. Community defiance is getting stronger with long-term residents publicly stating they will refuse to leave by September, intending to pursue legal appeals and maintain their presence as a recognized part of the local community. bettermoorings@bathness.gov.uk 01225 477566 Mon-Fri 9-16.30