JONES THE BOAT RETIRES
JONES the Boat at the Trevor basin, close to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, has shut up shop after 15 years of ferrying passengers over the world-famous structure in Wales.
Peter Jones, 83, ran the business with his son Howard and a team of 12 staff, some of whom were employed within the cafe that sat alongside the boats at the Trevor basin on the Llangollen canal. Others were employed within the restaurant boat, serving a large number of customers who enjoyed trips along the canal.
The Canal & River Trust’s plans for the Trevor basin, which include a new visitor centre, meant that Peter needed to find an alternative location from which to operate his two boats, and Tommy, which between them can accommodate almost 70 people. With his lease coming up for renewal in March and a lack of a viable alternative location, he took the difficult decision too close for good late last year.
As Peter pointed out: “You need to find a good location for a business like this as you need the footfall to make it viable.” With the world-famous aqueduct acting as the draw for many thousands of visitors every year, it’s easy to see why this was an ideal location for a trip business like this, and why a new one is currently under development.
Both Eirlys and Tommy are up for sale if anyone is interested – call Peter on 07775 840444 – and by early January the cafe was gone, and the site cleared ready for development.
A spokesperson for the Canal & River Trust said: “We wish Peter Jones well and thank him for providing a trip boat service for passengers across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct for a number of years. Peter’s lease expires in March, and as part of a wider masterplan, the trust is working with local partners to offer an improved visitor experience throughout the important World Heritage Site. This includes a new trip boat service across the aqueduct, due to be launched this Easter, as well as a range of other improvements such as a new visitor centre.”
While Peter’s son Howard, together with the 12 former members of staff, are currently looking for alternative employment, Peter and his wife are looking forward to a period of rest before they embark on the next project, some home DIY. That’s not before what will undoubtedly be a sad day for them both when they say goodbye to the boats when they eventually find a new home.
It’s ironic that Peter received a Go North Wales Tourism special award for his contribution to the North Wales tourism industry the same year that the business has closed!