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Ministerial Visit to Gas Street Basin - Tuesday October 5th 2010

Waterways Minister Richard Benyon MP took time out from the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham last week to visit Gas Street Basin.

Waterways Minister Richard Benyon MP meets boat owners and waterways employees including Earle Wightman, (third from the right) managing director of Heritage Narrowboats.

He was hosted on Tuesday morning by Bowman and Jan Bradley who had travelled to the conference from North Yorkshire in their narrowboat ‘Rivendell’.

Waterways Minister Richard Benyon MP The Minister, who had not previously visited Gas Street Basin, met a variety of people who live and work on the canals in central Birmingham. These included Earle Wightman, managing director of Heritage Narrowboats, based in Sherbourne Wharf, who operate commercial boats in the city centre, Brenda Scowcroft, who makes and sells bespoke greetings cards in the basin from her narrowboat ‘Mr David’, and residents of Gas Street Basin.

Waterways Minister Richard Benyon meeting Cathy Hytner, Tom Nightingale and Peter Cotgreach, all residents of Gas Street Basin. The Minister said afterwards: “It was really useful meeting people who enjoy our inland waterways and those who earn their living on them as well. We are coming to a crucial time in deciding on the future management of our waterways and it is particularly good to meet committed people and hear the authentic view of what needs to be done.”

Bowman Bradley commented “The development, over many years, of the area around Gas Street basin and Brindley Place is a great credit to Birmingham City Council and British Waterways. The minister appreciated the benefits, not only to boaters but to tourists, businesses and residents of Birmingham. He thought it a good model for other canal side communities. I believe that the minister left with an even stronger view that our canal system is worth looking after.”