This involved filling in the boatyard's slipway and grid, and evicting the boatyard operation together with all private boats moored here.

These boats would not be promised relocation, and BW would moor a couple of "business barges" here instead.

My protests to BW's chairman were met with the response that "British Waterways is not able to alter the momentum of change in Brentford and the regeneration of the town centre which this brings with it, and would not wish to do so."

In the wake of BW's continued determination to evict Ridgeways' offline moorings and boatyard, the following, "hot off the press" announcement comes as a puzzling, if pleasing surprise:

"In April this year British Waterways announced a scheme to promote business opportunities for new marina developments to help meet future demand and support the growth in popularity of boating on Britain's waterways. Inland waterway boating is currently experiencing significant growth with the potential to bring enjoyment to thousands more.

To make this expansion sustainable there is a need to develop enough moorings capacity to meet the demands of both current and future boaters.

With an estimated 700 newlybuilt boats requiring long-term moorings each year, neither British Waterways nor private operators are developing new marina sites quickly enough.

The number of boats on our network has grown at an average annual rate of 2.3% over the past 5 years, but this will not be sustainable into the future if new marinas are not created.

As Sally Ash explains: "The Marina Opportunities Guide will address the obstacles that are currently deterring the growth in new marina developments that are needed to meet demand on our waterways."

I'll be fascinated to see whether these Opportunities Guides will address the problem of how to counter BW's support for developers who wish to remove existing marinas! I could do with some tips.

This initiative has only come about due to industry pressure regarding monopolies issues, but is welcome nonetheless. It remains to be seen how BW will now square their new policy of actively promoting private development of offline moorings, with their previous declarations of helplessness to do so.

Of course, with respect to Ridgeways' boatyard and moorings, they planned to use the area not filled in by developers, for their own "business barges", a far more lucrative source of revenue than recreational moorings.

Add to that the collusion price being control of the waterspace, (quite possibly entailing transfer of the freehold), and their support for evicting the private boaters can be seen to have compelling reasons.

But is this how BW should be operating?

Their "obligation to maximise receipts" has become their over-riding rationale, with the primary remit of preserving and improving the operational aspects of the canals, relegated to being a secondary consideration.

BW's involvement with the High Street development is seen by the Council as integral to its success. The revised "Waterfront Strategy" has yet to be put forward. Will BW's advice to the developers on this, now incorporate their latest policy?

Were it not for hard-learned cynicism, I'd be agog with anticipation!

Yours faithfully, Nigel Moore Brentford Marine Services Note - the BW news item can be found at http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/newsroom/stories/marina_ opportunities_guide.html)