Hayle Canoe Club is seriously considering its future after Hayle Harbour Management Limited presented them with a demand for a £1200 per year fee for their continued use of an old container on North Quay.

The club moved from its old site adjacent to the Harbour Office about 12 months ago when ING backed HHML said it needed the site as part of its Harbour Development proposals.  The canoe club was offered the use of the container on North Quay and was given to understand that a nominal ground rent would be required sometime in the future.

A disappearing sight in Hayle Harbour?

After questioning the recent demand for £1200 a year, and following discussions, the amount was dropped to £1000 a year. However the canoe club has indicated that it can only afford to pay £30 a month, adding that to pay the £1000 it would have to raise its subscriptions to more than double that of other canoe clubs and yet it would not be able to offer any comparable facilities.

A spokesman said “We have no running water, electricity or even permanent changing facilities. Other clubs in the region offer storage, changing, toilet and showering facilities, social areas and tea/coffee making equipment. We would find ourselves in the position of charging the highest subscription in the area and offering the least in return".

The future of the club seems to rest on it being able to relocate to land outside the ownership of the Harbour Company and it has approached Hayle Town council to consider allowing it to occupy a site on the car park adjacent to the open air swimming pool at least in the short term, and have offered to pay a ground rent in return. If attempts to relocate the club to an alternative site are not realised then the future for the club look very bleak indeed.

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