Southside Pontoon Renewal Update

Update. 29/12/2025

As we approach the new year, work continues on the southside pontoon. Pete Jolly has made fantastic inroads into the demoloition of the old rotting structure and, as you can see from the picture, the amount of scrap timber is increasing daily. On January 5th, Sky Scaffolding will return and try to catch up with Pete. Good luck with that!

Scroll down to read how we began this project.

Work has now begun on the complete renewal of the southside pontoon, the long term home for many of our moored boats. The original timber structure has served the Arm well for decades, but time has finally caught up with it. Rather than rebuild in wood again, we are taking the opportunity to create something stronger, safer and far more durable.

We have brought in Sky Scaffolding, a local company based just around the corner from Saltisford. Their team are replacing the old piles with galvanised scaffolding and building the new pontoon ready to be resurfaced using non slip resin eco grid. It will give our long term moorers a safe and stable walkway for many years to come.

Before any of that could begin, the old timber sections had to come out. Thanks to the tireless efforts of one of our resident volunteers, Pete Jolly, that job is well in hand. Pete has been tirelessly

cutting away the ageing structure and ferrying the rotting wood across the Arm by workboat to the lay down area where it will be collected and responsibly disposed of. It is slow, cold and fiddly work, but Pete has approached it with his usual calm determination.

Sky Scaffolding have already drawn up detailed plans for the new layout, and their team can often be found working in waders in the water, even in freezing conditions. We have had to shuffle a few boats to make space for the works, but our moorers have been patient and supportive. Next steps will include reinstating electricity and water supplies as the new structure takes shape.

This project sits firmly under our “Next 40 Years” banner. It is another example of the work we are doing behind the scenes to keep the site healthy, accessible and safe for future generations of boaters, visitors and volunteers.

More updates will follow as the new southside pontoon begins to emerge from the water.