From the August issue of "Local News for Southsiders"
(
http://www.glasgow-southsiders.com/)
"BOATYARD SINKS
"A unique boatyard on the Southside of the River Clyde is being evicted by a sponsor of the River Festival which plans to build houses on the site.
Based at a slipway near Renfrew Ferry, the Clyde River Boat Yard Ltd has been taking boats in and out the water to repair and store them for the past three years. The company's lease expires on July 31. 'There has been a boatyard here since 1937 and it may even date from 1913,' said owner John Hill. 'I'm a master craftsman and boat builder and believe if this yard goes, the river will lose the last part of its small boat building heritage. I'm angry and dismayed because we are well placed for the M8 and the airport and we have people coming from all over the country to see to their boats here. There is nowhere else suitable for what we do. There are 20 jobs dependent on the boat related businesses here. I don't think it is right that we have to be moved to let houses be built.'
Alex Maltman of Mitchell Outboard Services said, 'This is an industrial site and I can't understand how it can be re-zoned for housing. You can't print what I think about the situation.'
"But Brian Clark joint Managing Director of Park Lane which is developing the site and whose company is co-sponsor of the River Festival commented, 'I've visited the boat yard and am convinced the people genuinely believe that is the only place they can operate from. I feel like pig in the middle. The reality is Mr Hill entered a short-term tenancy agreement and has known from the beginning that it would expire on July 31. His sub-tenants may not have known that. That agreement was with Clyde Port. Park Lane purchased the area with vacant tenure from Clyde Port as part of a 300 acre £500 million redevelopment. That means we expect all tenants to be off the site when we take over. I know Clyde Port have bent over backwards to accommodate them at Rothesay Docks with a new build site, but they are not receptive to that. We are keen to be involved in regenerating the Clyde but it was made very clear to the yard that it would only be there for a short time and was subject to redevelopment.'
"Clyde Port had not responded to a request for their comment by the time the LOCAL NEWS went to print."
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