Check back here from time to time for the latest news on what we are up to and latest developments concerning the operation of Ellerbeck Narrowboats

Latest Covid-19 booking timescale (13th January 2021)

To try and encourage our customers to book with us with safety and in the knowledge that any deposits paid will be transferred to an alternative date or refunded should the booking not go ahead, we have put details on our website Here.  Have a look and your help to support us during this difficult year will be very much appreciated.

Lucien @ Ellerbeck Narrowboats

Discontinuation of evening hire (With immediate effect – 13th January 2021)

With immediate effect, we have decided to discontinue evening hire completely.  Although this will disappoint some people, it is not as popular as we would have hoped and as a result it has not been worthwhile employing anyone else to take this over from us.

Adam and I have had to work many long days from 8.30am to 11pm at night once the boats have returned at 10pm and having to prepare them for the next day.  For the level of return and inconvenience to us personally it is with regret that evening hire will no longer be available but we are still offering day hire extension should daylight hours permit.

Lucien @ Ellerbeck Narrowboats

WIGAN REMOVAL FROM THE LOCAL RESTRICTED AREA LIST w/e 26th August 2020 (GOOD NEWS!!!)

With effect from Wednesday 26th August 2020 Wigan has seen a significant improvement in Covid-19 cases and will be removed from the list of locally restricted areas of the North West of England.  Anyone who has a booking with us from Wigan will now be able to come with another household and with each households support bubble arrangements as applicable.  See our full Covid-19 guidelines here.

Lucien @ Ellerbeck Narrowboats

Food for your trip with us – 28th May 2020

To encourage more people to book with us, in view of the fact that there are currently no food venues open on the canal for lunch at the moment. We are now pleased to let you know that we are able to provide a basic lunch from The Boatyard Bus Café although please be advised that the bus is still currently closed due to Government guidelines for cafes and restaurants.

You don’t have to have a booking with us to order a takeaway buffet lunch so please visit The Boatyard Bus Café website at www.boatyardbus.co.uk/buffetlunch to order your meal(s).

Meals are ideal, not just for your trip with us, but also for your walk along the canal, a break during your cycle ride or just for lunch on your day out elsewhere.

Meals can be collected at any time to suit you.

Thank you

Lucien @ Ellerbeck Narrowboats

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – 27th May 2020 (GOOD NEWS!!!)
Are you climbing the walls in all this good weather and tired of staying indoors with the kids then we have some good news!!

With effect from 6th June 2020 aboard our blue and red boats and 20th June aboard Crossley, our green boat we have been given permission to start to operate again.  A statement from the Canal and River Trust can be read here. 

However, there will be some restrictions and changes to the way we operate, these are as follows:

  1. Groups must be from the same household, and will have to sign a declaration to that fact before departure on the day of hire;
  2. Apart from a limited/restricted ice cream service at Frederick’s, there are currently no other venues open along the canal for lunch;
  3. We can provide a buffet lunch from The Boatyard Bus Café (Although it is not open for service) for £8.50 per head using disposable plates and cutlery;
  4. You are more than welcome to bring your own food and drink but there will not be any cutlery, crockery or cooking utensils available from us on the boat due to the safety risks involved.  Please bring your own if you would like these for your own food or disposable items may be able to be purchased from us;
  5. We are not offering evening hire until 1st April 2021 to ensure that thorough cleaning can be carried out between hires;
  6. We are not offering skippered trips due to social distancing until 1st April 2021;
  7. We will still be offering a full safety brief and full handling instructions for those without any previous experience, both following social distancing guidelines.
  8. Other restrictions or relaxations may be introduced or removed without notice given current Government guidelines in force at the time of your booking.  Follow this page or our Facebook page for further updates.

If you have already had a booking cancelled by us and would like to revert back to your original booking or would still like to reschedule please see our availability page to make a reservation or check which dates are currently available and call me on 01257 480 825. It may be that if your original booking was cancelled, the date has now been taken by another group. If this is the case then please accept our apologies.

There are many ways to contact us, send an email to info@boatshire.co.uk, via Facebook messenger here on our website to the bottom right of this page, by WhatsApp via our Facebook page or through our website Contact page.

Many thanks for your support and understanding at this difficult time and I look forward to seeing you very soon.

Lucien @ Ellerbeck Narrowboats

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – 25th May 2020 (Second update of the day)

We are currently reviewing our operating procedures for when we are permitted to open again.  As a result, we have deemed it necessary to cancel all of our bookings up to and including Friday 3rd July 2020.

This has not been an easy decision especially as the situation is constantly changing.  However, the current guidance is that the third stage of easing the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions is currently said to be on 4th July 2020.

Another reason behind this decision is that people need clarity with regards to their booking.  That said, however, if the situation changes in the meantime, I will contact anyone with a cancelled booking or a reservation to let them know what the options are at that time.

Please email me at info@boatstohire.co.uk with any questions or queries or keep up to date by liking our Facebook page.

May I take this opportunity of once again thanking you for your support and we look forward to welcoming you here at Ellerbeck Narrowboats and The Boatyard Bus Café as soon as possible.

Lucien @ Ellerbeck Narrowboats

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – 25th May 2020

As yet we are unsure as to when we can restart to operate we have had to make some difficult decisions resulting from our plans to reopen once given the go ahead by the Canal and River Trust.

It is with regret that we are going to have to cancel all skippered trips until 31st March 2021 in order to maintain the safety of our skippers and our customers.  Also, we are also cancelling all evening trips until the same date to allow the time required between bookings to carry out adequate cleaning for everyone’s safety.

We will not be taking skippered or evening hire bookings until after 31st March 2021 and if you already have a booking with us we will be contacting you directly to make alternative arrangements,

We can still take reservations for next year so please see our availability calendar or our prices page for full details.

Many thanks for your understanding

Lucien @ Ellerbeck Narrowboats

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – 13th May 2020

You may be hearing rumours that the canal network is to reopen from today for navigation.

For clarification from us that this is currently for the “use of privately-owned motorised craft (in line with the guidance issued by the relevant navigation authority) are allowed“.

Details of the government updated advice can be found on the gov.uk website at https://www.gov.uk/…/coronavirus-guidance-on-access-to-gree…

This means that even with our proposed safety measures, we currently cannot start operating again but this may change in the near future although, subject to further notification, this may not happen until Stage 3 of the easing of lockdown on 4th July 2020 if all goes to plan with the level of virus infections going forward.

Please keep an eye on this page to be advised further as to the direct effects that the current situation amendments has on our operation.

Thanks once again

Lucien @ Ellerbeck Narrowboats

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – 11th May 2020

Following on from the latest Government Covid-19 announcement on easing the lockdown, it is with regret that I have to further cancel all bookings up to and including 31st May 2020.

There is a grey area as to whether canal boats are free to move on the canal network but until the Canal & River Trust (CRT) review the Government’s guidance and revise their guidance accordingly, I am unable to start operating.  Ideally, we’d like to be able to take bookings for groups from single households but this could prove challenging.

We have worked out a way forward with regards to the safety of both our customers and staff with regards to cleaning and our handover to customers and have put this forward to CRT whose response was “much of which seems perfectly reasonable” which is a positive step going forward.

Along with positing any updates here on our website, we also post these on Facebook.  Please follow and “Like” us Here to be prompted of any further announcements which do not necessarily directly affect your booking but may help you decide when to reschedule bookings with us.

If you have any questions or queries please email contact me Here.

Many thanks for your continued support.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – 6th May 2020

Just a quick message to let you all know that a further review of our operation will take place after the official Government update on Sunday. I will update here and our News page on our website on Monday so please check back on Tuesday 11th May 2020.

If you have any questions or queries please email contact me Here.

Many thanks for your continued support.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – 15th April 2020

In order to give people some clarity in this time of uncertainty it is with regret that all bookings with us up to and including Friday 15th May 2020 will have to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Everyone has been told to socially distance themselves and self-isolate etc and it would be socially irresponsible for us to operate. This would go against Government advice so the most responsible thing for us to do is to cancel all bookings until at least 15th May 2020 and review this on a regular basis depending on the situation at the time and Government advice that may be given.

If you already have a booking with us, we do hope that you understand our situation and would be happy to reschedule your booking with us for a later date, within 9 months from your original date of hire. The reason for this is to try and reduce the impact on our 2021 season where we will be able start afresh and concentrate on the future of our businesses.

Any further updates will regarding individual bookings will be relayed direct by email but should you wish to keep up to date on how the situation is currently directly affecting us then please visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/boatstohire.
If you have any questions, queries or concerns then please do not hesitate to contact me on 01257 480 825 or by email from our contact page.

May I also remind you that you may still make a reservation at www.boatstohire.co.uk/availability without paying the initial 50% of the full cost. I will contact you nearer the time once we are able to start operating again.

Look after yourselves and your families at this difficult time, continue to follow all the Government advice and hopefully we can get you on the canal sometime soon.

Finally, may I take this opportunity of thanking you for your support and we look forward to welcoming you all here at Ellerbeck Narrowboats as soon as possible.

Kind regards

Lucien Burkhardt
Partner
Ellerbeck Narrowboats

Make a reservation without paying a deposit at the moment – 26th March 2020

Given the current situation it is obviously very quiet when the phone should be ringing and our inbox full with bookings.

We appreciate that there is so much uncertainty at the moment so why not try and plan a trip with us and have something to look forward to when this is all over.

Normally I would be asking for 50% of the total cost of your booking to reserve a boat and be giving up to 7 days to get this payment to us but this is not practical at the moment.

In view of this why not make a reservation with us for after 1st July 2020 and I will contact you nearer the time for a deposit when we know if the booking can go ahead.

This way you have something to look forward to, get a required date and when we know that the restrictions are lifted we will have bookings that we can call upon.

Please visit our website at www.boatstohire.co.uk/availability to make a reservation and remember we do not require a deposit at this stage until we can confirm the booking will go ahead.

Many thanks

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – 22nd March 2020

As you can appreciate and understand it is with regret that we really have no option other than to cancel bookings with us due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) virus.

Everyone has been told to socially distance themselves and self-isolate etc and it would be socially irresponsible for us to continue operating.  This would go against Government advice so the most responsible thing for us to do is to cancel bookings with immediate effect until at least 30th April 2020 and review this on a month by month basis depending on the situation at the time.

We do hope that you understand and would be happy to reschedule your bookings with us at a later date within 9 months from the original date of hire.  The reason for this is to try and reduce the impact on our 2021 season where we will be able start afresh and concentrate on the future of our businesses.

If you would like a refund, we would rather you didn’t and opt to reschedule your booking, but if you do, please call me on 01257 480 825 although could I ask you to consider the implications on us as a small business in this very difficult, uncertain and unprecedented time.

I am not sure if you were considering breakfast, lunch or buffet food from The Boatyard Bus Café as part of your canal boat trip, but as you are probably aware, all cafes and restaurants have also had to close until further notice by Government request.

I have already had a couple of bookings reschedule to a later date in the year and if you have an upcoming booking with us you are more than welcome to contact me to do the same.  Obviously, any rescheduled bookings will be subject to the Coronavirus situation at the time and may well be cancelled once again.

Any further updates will regarding your individual booking will be relayed directly by email but should you wish to keep up to date on how the situation is currently directly affecting us then please follow this page and Facebook for the latest developments.

If you have any questions, queries or concerns then please do not hesitate to contact me on 01257 480 825 or by replying top this email. 

Look after yourselves and your families at this difficult time, continue to follow all the Government advice and hopefully we can get you on the canal sometime soon.

Finally, may I take this opportunity of thanking you for your support and we look forward to welcoming you all here at Ellerbeck Narrowboats as soon as possible.

Kind regards

Lucien Burkhardt
Partner
Ellerbeck Narrowboats

Leeds and Liverpool Canal Closure – August 2018

Unfortunately Botany Bay have found it necessary not to proceed with the Canal Fest for this year following two successful years to date. They are still considering running it again next year and we will again offer our support by running trips along the canal.

There is however, plans to organise an alternative small event independently of Botany Bay at Botany Bay by some of the traders and operators involved.

Unfortunately Ellerbeck Narrowboats will not be participating in this event as between cancellation of the Canal Fest and announcements that the alternative event may be taking place we had already booked our canal boats out on usual private hire.

Please accept my apologies although we hope to see you aboard one of our boats for a day or evening out in the future.

Lucien @ Ellerbeck Narrowboats

2018 Botany Bay Canal Festival cancelled

Unfortunately Botany Bay have found it necessary not to proceed with the Canal Fest for this year following two successful years to date. They are still considering running it again next year and we will again offer our support by running trips along the canal.

There is however, plans to organise an alternative small event independently of Botany Bay at Botany Bay by some of the traders and operators involved.

Unfortunately Ellerbeck Narrowboats will not be participating in this event as between cancellation of the Canal Fest and announcements that the alternative event may be taking place we had already booked our canal boats out on usual private hire.

Please accept my apologies although we hope to see you aboard one of our boats for a day or evening out in the future.

Lucien @ Ellerbeck Narrowboats

Cold food is Zero rated VAT!!

The price of our food in association with Katy’s Kitchen in Chorley has been reduced by 20%!!!

Following further investigation we are now happy that the food we can offer you is not subject to the standard rate of VAT (20%) and following this investigation have reduced our prices accordingly.

Full details and an order form can be found on our website by clicking here.

Botany Canal Fest – August Bank Holiday weekend Sun 27th and Mon 28th August 2017

After the success of last years celebrations we are happy to confirm that Ellerbeck Narrowboats will be back at the Botany Bay Canal Festival 2017 on Bank Holiday Weekend – Sunday 27th & Monday 28th of August!

Join us at Botany Bay where we will be offering 40 minute cruises along the stunning stretch of the Leeds to Liverpool Canal, you can even have a go at driving the boat!

Tickets will be available on the day from canal side, just look out for one of our happy faces!

This event offers free parking, is child friendly and offers a great day out for all the family so cancel any plans you may have and come down and see us!

For full details of the event see the organisers Facebook event page Here.

Celebration or treat cakes

In association with The Blackrod Cake Company, we are pleased to be able to offer you a range of cakes for that special occasion or just to enjoy during your day or evening on board our boats.

Let us organise that special treat of a birthday cake, a cake for a special occasion or just some scones to go with your brew, all made fresh and delivered to the boat all ready and waiting for when you arrive.

As The Blackrod Cake Company specialise only in making cakes they are more than happy to create your own personalised cake for any occasion.

Full details and an order form can be found on our website by clicking here.

Skippered boat trips

You can now hire a boat with us for the day complete with a Skipper to steer the boat for you. You are still more than welcome to have a go at steering. Skippers are provided subject to availability and at an extra £45.00 charge to our usual daily hire rates. Full details and the abiility to make a reservations can be found on our website by clicking here.

Food for your trip

Take away all hassle of sorting food for everyone by letting us take care of that as well. I association with Katy’s Kitchen we can offer freshly prepared buffet meals delivered to the boat just before you arrive. Details of this can be found by clicking here.

Calor 6Kg Propane

Due to a few requests we now stock the 6Kg propane Calor gas bottles.

These are exchangeable for £18.50 (Inc 5% VAT) or with a £39.99 (Inc 20% VAT) bottle deposit plus £18.50 (Inc 5% VAT) for the gas (See Calor’s Refills, exchanges and returns web page for more details).