Houseboat owners living rent-free at a Bath beauty spot have vowed to fight eviction after being ordered to leave by September. Bath & North East Somerset Council has branded the vessels dangerous, but the owners claim the real motive is to clear the area for a new rugby stadium and because their homes are seen as 'scruffy'.
The boats are moored near Pulteney Weir and Pulteney Bridge, a popular tourist location. Some residents have lived there for years. The council has given them until September to move or face legal action, but the owners argue the authorities have no legal standing and will waste £1.5 million in legal fees.
Ted, 54, a resident, said: 'There's not a health and safety issue – they're just using that against us. It's all about the rugby ground, getting rid of the boats and trees.' Percy Walton, 67, who has lived there for four years, added: 'The letter came out of nowhere. There are no other moorings on the Avon. They just want us to go because we're scruffy.'
Another owner claimed the eviction is 'politically motivated' and linked to plans for a new Bath Rugby stadium. They said the site is 'completely safe' and that the money would be better spent on safety improvements. The group insists they will not leave and plan to submit a planning application to manage the moorings themselves.
The council, however, maintains the moorings are unsafe. A spokesperson said: 'Boat owners moored there will be supported to move their vessels by the middle of September this year as the moorings are not safe for them to use. The moorings also pose a hazard to other river users.' Councillor Sarah Warren added: 'Boats moored in the Pulteney stretch are in danger from the high risk of flooding, particularly during periods of severe winter weather. This could put lives at risk.'
