Cambridge punting company sunk by High Court ‘trespass’ ruling

CAMBRIDGE’S punt wars reached the High Court yesterday as the city council banned an established company from taking tourists on the water.

Traditional Cambridge Tours, operating on the River Cam for 12 years, was accused by the council of trespassing by conducting unauthorised commercial operations on its land.

Mrs Justice Whipple granted an injunction covering punting operations at several locations in Cambridge and any breach of the order would amount to a contempt of court, punishable with imprisonment or a fine.

The judge said the company, whose punts departed from and returned to a slipway on Garrett Hostel Lane, has no licence to conduct operations from that site or from any other land belonging to the council.

Sam Matthews, a director at the company, told The Daily Telegraph his firm has had to make 65 people redundant, and that the decision was “probably the right one to the letter of the law, but it’s very disappointing”.

A member of staff at the company – which ceased trading last night – told the Telegraph: “I’ve spent the day cancelling bookings – and we were booked up to the end of the year.”

Trinity College, which adjoins Garrett Hostel Lane, supported the application, claiming the activity had an adverse impact on the college’s enjoyment of its own land. But Traditional Cambridge Tours argued the council was not entitled to an injunction at all.

Tom Arnold, Milan Kovakevich and George Sugden, the other directors, told the judge of fierce competition in the city’s punting market and said they suspected the application was motivated by a desire to put them out of business and help out competitors.

They denied they had trespassed on private land and said they would like the council to provide more official punt stations so they could continue their business, but as it stands, they are completely banned from the water.