On the Straight & Narrow !

A boating couple are negotiating the choppy waters of economic gloom by providing a novel break from the rat race. John and Lesley Yates are currently sailing towards a success story with their ‘Canal Boat Cruises’ business based at Riley Green marina in Hoghton. John, a former tree surgeon and Lesley, who used to work for a travel company, have transformed a hobby into a flourishing rural leisure business. They say that many of their customers are busy people looking to get out of the ‘rat race’ for a week or two by meandering through unspoilt countryside, negotiating waterways locks and country pubs. Everyone from experienced, organised boaters to complete novices are catered for, with John and Lesley offering full tuition on how to navigate the canals and locks. The couple have three children, Louis, Bridie and Ellie, and promise to be on call 24 hours a day. Lesley said: “We spend time with customers, giving them hands-on tuition so they have a safer, better time. We are ideally located for first – time boaters.”

The couple currently have two luxury narrow boats, ‘Bridie’s Bear’ and ‘Elle’s Belle’, fully fitted with bathroom, kitchen and pressurized hot water supply at a cost of around £55,000 each. They are currently looking at purchasing a third narrow boat due to demand.

Funding

Lesley said: “We’ve been given a grant from Chorley Council’s Rural Development Grant pilot scheme. We’ve got to renovate the marina and are in the process of applying for more funding.“ When we went for grant funding, we had little hope of anything being available, but the extra money gave us a big lift and the motivation to get going.”

After conceiving the idea in 2000, it was only in 2006, with the support and guidance of the Business Venture Group, that a feasible business plan was formed.

Business Venture Group’s Andrew Atkinson said: “Starting a new business can be quite a big risk. We can give that bit of approval, encouragement and remove barriers to help people realise their potential. “John and Lesley are providing a local tourism attraction in an area steeped in history. There’s not many rural businesses around and this is a novel idea.”

John said: “We thought there’s a niche in the market for a canal cruise company in this area, but we needed a base and the money, that’s why it’s taken this long. “We get lots of overseas visitors, people from the US, Canada and Australia. They are so interested in the inland waterways, our heritage and things that we just take for granted. “But all of our customers comment on how beautiful our countryside is round here.”