River moorings boost trade (From Oxford Mail)

River moorings boost trade

6:00pm Friday 30th July 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

TRADERS and river users have hailed Wallingford’s new river moorings a success, saying they are already bringing more shoppers and tourists to the town.

The £260,000 moorings were officially opened on Wednesday by South Oxfordshire District Council chairman Mike Welply, before local dignitaries enjoyed a cruise on the River Thames.

In the past month, traders have seen an increase in business as day-trippers, holiday-makers, and passing river users tie up to visit the town.

The new moorings are alongside the open-air Riverside swimming pool. River Thames User Group chairman John Dalton estimated that they may already be bringing up to £10,000 a week into Wallingford.

He said: “There are only moorings for six boats overnight, but that could mean up to 20 visiting during the day.

“If you add that up, and all the spending they may be doing in town, it’s a lot.”

Wallingford Partnership chairman Derrick Hoare added: “We’re already getting feedback from traders that people who stop at the moorings are using the town to shop, to eat out and so on.”