Draycote Reservoir - Severn Trent adds Insult to Injury

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Angling Trust 03/12/2009 16:55:00

Map of Draycote Reservoir (courtesy of LyttlesofDunchurch.co.uk)

As already discussed on the Fly Forums website - Anglers have reacted with dismay to the news that Severn Trent Water is to close Draycote Reservoir to all angling until further notice.

Severn Trent claims that the closure is due to the planned redevelopment of the visitors’ centre at the reservoir, but planning permission has not yet been agreed for the work. The company is not restricting access to other users during the period of the works; sailing, birdwatching and walking will all still be allowed.

Anglers are very concerned that when the work is finished, the Company will stop angling on large parts of the reservoir, as they did at Foremark Reservoir early in 2009, for what were widely regarded as spurious ‘health and safety’ reasons.

Thousands of anglers fish the reservoir each year and they are furious that this decision was made without consultation – mirroring what happened at Foremark. Severn Trent makes much of the fact on its web site that it has a CAREAG (Conservation, Access, Recreation & Education Advisory Group) with which it is meant to consult, but this group was not advised of the plans until they were finalised. The Angling Trust is calling on the Company to admit that it has failed in its corporate responsibility to the community.

Angling Trust Chief Executive Mark Lloyd said: “As the National Governing Body for angling, we are outraged that this huge water company is banning all angling without any consultation, not even with its loyal customers. Our research shows that many more people would go fishing if there were more access to waters. Anything which reduces access is therefore bad news, and disastrous for people living near the reservoir who rely on it for their fishing as well as those hotels and B&Bs which supply overnight accommodation to anglers visiting the water.”

The Angling Trust is writing to Tony Wray, the Chief Executive of Severn Trent demanding a meeting to discuss the situation and the Company’s future attitude to angling. The Trust will also be asking the Government why there is no organisation with responsibility for regulating water companies’ responsibilities with regard to provision of recreation.

The Angling Trust works alongside the Angling Development Board which is funded by Sport England to grow and sustain participation in angling. The disastrous decision at Draycote will impact on the two organisations’ work in this area and will decrease the social and economic benefits of such a major fishery to the local community. Anglers travel from all over the country to fish Draycote and the ban means that they will no longer be spending money in the area around the reservoir.

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Comments (15 posted):

tanglethomas on 03/12/2009 17:56:02

We have a meeting tomorrow(Friday) with Severn Trent 2.00pm it is an open meeting ,our committee have a number of questions to put to ST ,should be interesting------- I will post any news after the meeting .

Lighthouse on 03/12/2009 19:52:53

Not wishing to dilute the case for Draycote in anyway but there are also worrying rumours about the future of Carsington. Could it be that Severn Trent have already made an executive decision about their involvement in trout fishing within their region?

chris68 on 03/12/2009 20:15:49

Could it be that Severn Trent have already made an executive decision about their involvement in trout fishing within their region? That looks like the most obvious scenario to me :(:(

thedeadskunk on 03/12/2009 21:44:38

Send all information and any future updates to: Editor David Brookes [COLOR=#005689]David.Brookes@coventrytelegraph.net[/COLOR] [url=http://www.thedeadskunk.com]www.thedeadskunk.com

JeffR on 03/12/2009 22:53:59

Just posted an update on this thread: http://www.flyforums.co.uk/uk-stillwater-updates/54016-draycote-closed-next-year-12.html As mentioned there, I had a text from a pal re the meeting tomorrow so hope it goes well thomas (and welcome!). Also, I did at least get an e-mail today from ST clarifying that it ISN'T going to be used for Olympic triathlon training venue after all, despite being selected earlier. No responses yet from my various e-mails to the local politicians though. Should I post on here now instead?:confused:

Buzzerman on 04/12/2009 10:05:36

Firstly - welcome and good luck with the meeting Thomas. I suspect that they will advise you of their 'Zoning' plans for the banks - (as they did with ourselves at Foremark). And I suspect the closure is merely a way of breaking the current lease terms, in order to change them. Carsington - I have had confirmed is opening in March , Wobbler has also had this confirmed in another thread. (Thanks god for that as we were rapidly running out of big waters to fish...) Thank god they can no longer use the Olympics as an excuse, it is now down to a straight 'is it discimenatory' debate - as other water users have not been restricted. I'll await the outcome of the meeting with interest.

thedeadskunk on 04/12/2009 12:28:46

Just posted an update on this thread: [url=http://www.flyforums.co.uk/uk-stillwater-updates/54016-draycote-closed-next-year-12.html][url]http://www.flyforums.co.uk/uk-stillwater-updates/54016-draycote-closed-next-year-12.html As mentioned there, I had a text from a pal re the meeting tomorrow so hope it goes well thomas (and welcome!). Also, I did at least get an e-mail today from ST clarifying that it ISN'T going to be used for Olympic triathlon training venue after all, despite being selected earlier. No responses yet from my various e-mails to the local politicians though. Should I post on here now instead?:confused: This morning, I received a letter from the House of Commons written by Bob Ainsworth. He has written to Severn Trent, and will get back to me(us) once he has received any information.

Lady Bug on 04/12/2009 17:43:30

Can anyone who attended this meeting post what happened, i hear it was as expected!! Draycote is closed. No explanation, no open discussion. No plans past. Thank you Seven Trent.

tanglethomas on 04/12/2009 18:04:38

Well there's not going to be any mind changing,the meetings confirmed what we all thought.:( We had 40 people in attendance 99% anglers,the meeting was conducted in a gentlemanly way with a presentation by Corinne Moss(site manager) flanked by Carl James (Head Ranger)and Grace Marron (ST public affairs) . We were shown an artists impression of the proposed works to the visitor Centre/Fishing Lodge ,the lodge to be extended to the South East(two storeys) with new toilet block etc ,and to the NorthWest by one storey which is to be the new fishing lodge overlooking the slipway to the fishing pontoon.There is to be a new access road to the area with parking /turning drop off area.They confimed that they didn't have planning yet but had had consultations with Rugby Planning Officers who were favourable to the project.After a question from the floor it was confimed that funding was not yet in place. Corinne then stated that works would hopefully start in May/June 2010. DFFA had put some questions together which were handed to the three ST Reps which were studied and answered ,some were answered by the presentation others are summarized as follows :-- *Could they explain why only fishing was to be stopped? It ,s to complicated to move pontoons etc, planning permission would be needed to use another access,found out later that the discision to close the fishing was not made until the beginning of October.Carl said that Corinne and himself had fought hard for the fishing to continue.The other users of the Draycote will be effected by the works. *Severn Trent claims that it prides itself on consultation why has there been know consultation of these plans. No detailed answer *WiLL Severn Trent guarantee opening the water in 2011? They will endeavour to open but no guarantees. *Will the bank fishing on reopening be further reduced? Couldn't guarantee whether there will not be a reduction on the bank angling *Will Keith have an opputunity to apply for the lease? Yes *Are the plans anything to do with the Olympic Triathlon teams? No *Bearing in mind 12,000 anglers visit the site annually who exactly has taken the discision to close the fishery? No specific person. Questions were then asked from the floor *Has any thought been given to the loss of revenue of business's in the area? No comment *When was the project first visualized? Two years ago *Why could the project not be planned better to coincide with the next closed season,have contracts been awarded yet? No comment/No *Why has there been no consultation? Silence It was put to the ST Reps that we thought Keith and Margret had been treated very unfairly ,Keith having been at Draycote since 1975. No response. The meeting finished about 3.30pm people are quite upset by the outcome and lack of consultation,most of us hoping for a change of mind but it seems that the discision is set in stone with many of us also frustrated that although the meeting was conducted well by Corinne Moss and colleagues there was no real suit there to take the flak. Ive done my best to give a true account of the meeting ,apologies if Ive left owht out. going for a pint :guinness:

Buzzerman on 04/12/2009 18:59:47

Thanks tanglethomas. Their response are at best pathetic.. :( No one made the decision? No funding is in place? No gaurenteed re-opening? or that there will not be any future bank restrictions? and worst of all - No statement at the way they have treated Keith & Margaret.:mad: Keith should, at the very least, have guarenteed first refusal on the new lease.... Looks to me like no one is running the company..! Not surprised the 'suits' did not turn up as they can later say that any comments made by staff were either misconstrued or taken out of context.. Somehow we have to try and ensure that they make some future commitment - not sure how though - as they love to spout the word 'consultation' without knowing the meaning of it. sad news indeed but keep posting on any ways that others can help with the fight

JeffR on 04/12/2009 19:19:16

Thanks for reporting back. Obviously just a token meeting, and one which they were effectively forced into at that. And when the planning application goes in what's the betting they will refer to the meeting as them fully consulting stakeholders etc:rolleyes: 2010 is a write-off and now they're wobbling on 2011 too, plus being evasive on future bank fishing. Only chink of light seems to be a possible chance for Keith to come back.

russrabot on 04/12/2009 23:05:54

Hi. I too attended the meeting, and your report is accurate. I have spoken with Steve Cullen editor of Totaol Flyfishing magazine today giving him my understanding of the meeting and he has asked me to email him a letter, he also asked for letters from anyone who has a comment, he will print as many as he can, or publish on the web. Perhaps we could do with a little publicity, we have been unfairly treated by ST, people that have patronized their reservoir, investing time and money for decades. We should have a voice, and I for one hope that the ripples will increase.

tanglethomas on 05/12/2009 16:11:50

Well after a few beers and a sleepless night ,I been thinking about the meeting yesterday,my main emotion is anger at the way we've been treated and the lack of response by S:mad:T.Firstly I believe that the discision to close next year was made prematurely with the Keith and Margarats lease finishing in March 2010 the spark for their reasoning,yes I think the bank fishing will be seriously reduced and I really worry about the sustainability of the fishery if it closed for a possible Two years and a reduction to the bank fishing. What the next step will be is uncertain but we must embarrass S:mad:T to the extent that whatever is to happen at Draycote their must be full consultation with interested parties.

fishybez on 05/12/2009 19:13:11

I am also appalled by Severn Trent's approach. They clearly have a game plan and have arranged to meet the anglers only so they can tick the consultation box. I too fear for the future of bank fishing at Draycote, at best I think it will be severely curtailed on the natural bank where the general public like to picnic. You may be interested in the attached response I received from the Severn Trent. "Thank you for your e-mail regarding fishing at Draycote.  Severn Trent Water is planning to make a number of improvements to the Draycote Water site over the next few years. Amongst the proposed changes to the site are changes to the road layout, increased parking facilities, bus/coach access to the visitor centre and improvements to the visitor centre itself, including a new education exhibition. These works are part of a programme of ongoing improvements to all the public access sites that we own and manage. Unfortunately, whilst construction works are taking place we have to review the activities that will be offered on site. It is important to us that all activities can be enjoyed by visitors but we need to be able to manage these properly and, for that reason, activities which will be affected by the works will be scaled back or closed during the development of the site. All activities on site will be affected in some way over the course of the work.   The fishery operates from within the main area affected by the works we are planning next year, and as a result, there will be no fishing at Draycote during 2010. We did not take the decision to close the fishery lightly, and did discuss alternative options for opening, even in a limited way, for next season, but no viable option was found. We are very aware of the reputation Draycote has for being one of the premier fisheries in the country, and Keith and Margaret Causer's hard work in achieving its high status, so we wouldn't have closed it, even temporarily, if there was an alternative option. The fishery lease, which Keith currently holds, also expires in March, and securing a new lease agreement with such disruption proposed would be extremely difficult.  We understand that anglers may be disappointed at our decision to temporarily close this site, but I would like to reassure you that we do not plan to close the fishery permanently, and we fully intend for fishing to remain an integral part of the site’s facilities when the works are complete.  By regularly reviewing the services that we provide, we are endeavouring to offer the best and most suitable blend of conservation, access, recreation and education opportunities to our customers and communities. We hope that the disruption to the site in the short term, will enable us to make the improvements the site needs for the longer term benefit of all our visitors, and that you, along with other anglers will return to the site when fishing re-opens in 2011.  Yours sincerely  Corinne Moss Site Manager I fear that the battle for 2010 is lost but I suggest we write to our local MP Jeremy Wright to try to safeguard our fishing future for 2011 and beyond. His e mail address is as follows: wrightjp@parliament.uk

russrabot on 05/12/2009 22:33:24

I too am more furious as I think about how we have been dismissed. darycote is more that just a fishery to me, its a place that is very special. I have fished there for over thirty years, took my fishing partner "Rocket Ron" two days before he passed away to take a last look. Another friend's ashes were interned in Toft, this is more than just a fishery, I know of men who have fished it twice a week since its first opening, who will hang up their rods for good, this is a tragic loss, and we MUST make our voices heard for the future of our sport, and our childrens future. I have seen the loss of Chesterton Pools, Bishops Bowl in such a short time, our area is losing its fisheries at an alarming rate. Please fellow fishermen don't lie down and let these people walk all over us. Contact your MP, send letters off via email to the press, to Magazines like Total flyfisher email steve.cullen@dhpub.co.uk lets make some noise...

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