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Fined for Birdwatching? (1 Viewer)

cjay

Well-known member
Fined for Birdwatching?
For hundreds of years Birdwatchers & Naturalists have observed the wildlife along the Banks of Breydon Water Great Yarmouth Norfolk With the advent of Asda buying land in the early 1990’s Birdwatchers could park freely in a secure environment in the Large Car park. But no more it seems. On Friday 19th March a sign says that parking is limited to two hours or a forty pound fine would be incurred. As any one will tell you Breydon is very rich in birdlife & it would take the average birdwatcher three to four hours or more if one wanted to visit the Berney Arms. There must be a way for birdwatchers to park for free or even pay a small charge. A site could be set aside for them but this could increase the risk or car crime if thieves knew they would be gone for hours. Cars mixed with shoppers would be the best idea. Walkers would suffer as many do walk to the Berney arms & back which can take six hours or more including a lunch stop.

What about Birdwatching societies who park here to spend the day at Breydon what about walk leaders? How where else can they arrange car parking ?.

The car park company can be contacted on 017380440933
They were not able to comment when I telephoned them today
 
I reckon that you've been very lucky to have enjoyed free parking all this time - but it's a pity that there cannot be some sort of agreement whereby long-stay parking can be allowed on payment of a fee, provided there will always be places left available for people spending money at Asda.
 
Elizabeth Bigg said:
I reckon that you've been very lucky to have enjoyed free parking all this time - but it's a pity that there cannot be some sort of agreement whereby long-stay parking can be allowed on payment of a fee, provided there will always be places left available for people spending money at Asda.

With Asda, being the public-spirited institution it is, passing any profits derived on to their local WT?
 
The rather blunt attitude I got from Asda this afternoon was very much ''thats their problem'', has totally changed my view of Asda as a company.

As i said in another thread today, I've never seen the car park full & add to this the fact that spaces birders use are as far from the front door as is possible to get.

I do think though there has been a problem with it being used as a free alternative to the train station pay & display, but surely there is some way round this.

Berney & back in 2 hours ??? .... hmmm .... tricky ...

I've emailed the RSPB, as it's the advertised parking for the local reserves but no reply as yet.
 
At least you get two hours there. During Cornwall trips I used to like nothing better than standing in the Old Quay House car park (Hayle Estuary) over the hightide period. Now you have to stand by a very dangerous road because the Landlord of the pub won't even let you stand in his car park let alone park in it.

Mark
 
M N Reeder said:
At least you get two hours there. During Cornwall trips I used to like nothing better than standing in the Old Quay House car park (Hayle Estuary) over the hightide period. Now you have to stand by a very dangerous road because the Landlord of the pub won't even let you stand in his car park let alone park in it.

Mark
Ah so that was the nasty looking fella shouting at me! I just looked bemused at him as I couldn't hear a word he said and he soon gave up and left. The garage owner further up also told three of us to scarper!
 
I have written to the press & the birding Press to inform them of the changes also any other organisation I can think of to let people know so they do not incurr any fines.

CJ
 
M N Reeder said:
At least you get two hours there. During Cornwall trips I used to like nothing better than standing in the Old Quay House car park (Hayle Estuary) over the hightide period. Now you have to stand by a very dangerous road because the Landlord of the pub won't even let you stand in his car park let alone park in it.

Mark
Hi Mark

You can't beat the pub as a vantage point, but the two railway platforms on the west side are very good and possibly better than the road.

Going back about 15 years the chap who owned the Old Quayhouse Inn was decidely pro-birds and was a member of the RSPB (although he was not actually a birder). I often used to stay there overnight in the chalets when I was down that way on business. Saw some good birds from those rooms - Whiskered Tern comes to mind. There was never any problem with parking; the car park was plenty big enough for both birders and pub clientele. The owner sold out and emigrated to the Gambia. I don't recall the next owners being too bad either, but the current lot seem very short-sighted. These days I refuse to go in the place on a matter of priniciple.

Jason
 
Could it be that the problems outlined here (and no doubt similar problems exist elsewhere) are the result of the UK's current mania for making compensation claims for the slightest injury sustained on another person's property?

We may not like suddenly being told we can no longer do something we have been doing (and enjoying!) for ages, but in the case of supermarkets, pubs etc. they in turn are probably having restrictions placed upon them by head office or an insurance company, to deter any but bona fide customers from entering their property.
 
Bluetail said:
You can't beat the pub as a vantage point, but the two railway platforms on the west side are very good and possibly better than the road.

Going back about 15 years the chap who owned the Old Quayhouse Inn was decidely pro-birds and was a member of the RSPB (although he was not actually a birder). I often used to stay there overnight in the chalets when I was down that way on business. Saw some good birds from those rooms - Whiskered Tern comes to mind. There was never any problem with parking; the car park was plenty big enough for both birders and pub clientele. The owner sold out and emigrated to the Gambia. I don't recall the next owners being too bad either, but the current lot seem very short-sighted. These days I refuse to go in the place on a matter of priniciple.

Jason

Same here Jason.

Do you remember the hide there? A few years ago, once the Ryan's Field hide opened the RSPB transferred the hide to the Cornwall Birdwatching and Preservation Society. The new owner wanted to knock it down and offered to build us a new one in a different location. Of course we agreed, but once it came down all birdwatchers were banned from using the pub as a vantage point!!

Darrell
 
Hi Darrell. I didn't know about the hide. I can't understand what the problem was. Except whan it was raining it was never used that much. It was a bit small and the car park offered a better vantage point anyway. I hope the society got some compensation.

Jason
 
Re the car park at the pub at Hayle I tried to find out in Augusr 2001 why the Publican had banned access. I received an E Mail from Pete Marsh and I have copied this below-as far as I am aware the position has not changed.
Hi again
I rang the OQH re- next February and they were not welcoming of
birdwatchers. The general points were that they had spent a six-figure sum
doing the place up and car park users were taking the place for granted
using it as a public forum and not respecting the fact that it was a private
car park. The specific points were:

1) They had given "birdwatchers" two months to tidy up the "dilapidated"
hide which frequently had half-eaten sandwiches in and attracted rats up
from the estuary.
2) Complaints from chalet guests re-(very) early morning slamming of car
doors by birdwatchers
3) Birdwatchers arriving in the early hours and sleeping in their cars
(anyone else feel ashamed here!!)
4) Birdwatchers spreading themselves around eating lunch at the expense of
space for other lunchtime guests which, unlike the b/ws, brought trade to
the inn. One instance was cited re-a lunchtime guest having to use "the
pay and display" (where's that?).

I suggested that she may lose some autumnal/winter birdwatching trade
(either overnights stays or people eating meals) but she reckoned not. I
rang off without attempting to negotiate re-next February.
 
Well I know it's long after the time I used to stay there (which at one stage was a couple of nights every fortnight), but I don't recognise any of that! Well, alright, I suppose the hide was a bit dilapidated and I can imagine the odd carload dossing down for the night, but...

Rats? Never saw 'em. Car doors banging? Never heard 'em. Birders eating lunch? Goodness, whatever next! And, yeah, just where is the pay and display car park?

Jason
 
Darrell - Yes, could be. It wasn't P&D when I stopped off for the Lesserlegs in January, but maybe the machines migrate for the winter.

Jason
 
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