CLEAR-the-air talks have been held between Watchet Marina boss Christopher Odling-Smee and local boat owners following an outpouring of criticism on social media platforms and a petition encouraging people not to pay mooring fees.

About 30 people attended the showdown in The Esplanade Club, including local residents and town and district councillors.

Mr Odling-Smee said he would not stand for ‘trial by Facebook and social media’ and described many of the comments as ‘abuse’ which was having a major impact on his staff.

He said the effect on his team of the social media tirade was a ‘red line’ issue and he was personally following up with some individuals who had posted online because they needed to be seen ‘face to face’.

Mr Odling-Smee said just like a restaurant would not tolerate abusive diners, so his Marine Group would not accept customers who did not pay or who posted abuse.

“Ranting and saying things on Facebook which we cannot respond to as a corporation is not on,” he said.

“I am happy to be accountable to anybody but what we will not do is tolerate abuse on Facebook which a lot of you will have seen.”

‘Early bird’ emails were sent on Monday to boat owners offering a five per discount on fees which were paid by the end of the month.

However, if anybody had not received the email, it probably meant ‘we need to have a conversation’.

Mr Odling-Smee said marina fees reflected the current state of the harbour and would only rise in line with inflation this year, while even after promised improvements had been delivered there would not be any ‘extortionate’ increases.

He said suggestions that fees should be reduced were not practical because it would make the marina less attractive for investment.

Mr Odling-Smee apologised that work which should have been completed by late 2021 had still not been carried out.

He said: “I am contrite. I am frustrated. It has taken us longer to get to the point where an amount of mud has been taken out, but this will be resolved by April.

“Our commitment to delivering a fully-watered harbour for Watchet as soon as possible remains, and nothing is going to change with that as far as we are concerned.

“Our objective is that it is all watered by the beginning of April.”

Mr Odling-Smee said the issue was that although the company had three dredgers, they had been working in Scotland and East Anglia and elsewhere and not enough had been done in Watchet.

However, he said dredging which had taken place in Watchet Marina had been successful in reducing mud levels by up to 1.5 metres and showed that it worked, it was just that it needed to be carried out more often.

A dredging programme would be resolved within a week and a schedule published showing which vessels would be working and when, and fuel would also be available in seven days’ time.

Mr Odling-Smee said he wanted the dredgers working day and night to get on top of the situation and ensure the marina was fully-watered and berths had an ‘acceptable’ depth of water by April.

He said the company also faced a challenge with the failure of the hydraulic system which raised and lowered the marina’s gate.

Parts could only be obtained from the United States on a three-month lead time, but if it was not possible to acquire them ‘we will immediately purchase a brand new hydraulic system, which costs about £15,000’.

But he said the lock gate ‘is what it is’ and the company was not going to spend ‘millions’ replacing it.

Future plans would involve a static boat crane on the harbour side which was at least a £100,000 project.

However, the company first had to finalise an extension to its lease with Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT), which would allow it to attract capital investment.

Mr Odling-Smee said the Watchet community could help with inward investment because if residents kept the narrative ‘positive’ then it was more likely to encourage people thinking of investing or bringing business to the town.

He said the company wanted to attract more food and beverage outlets around the harbour but business owners would do their research and could be put off by negativity.

Despite what people may have heard, all dredging crew had been paid, although it was slightly frustrating that there were human resources issues with one person on which Mr Odling-Smee was unable to comment publicly.

He accepted the company had not adequately ‘project managed’ in 2022 and so it was advertising to fill a new post to address the problem, and that it needed to improve its communications operation.

Mr Odling-Smee offered to return monthly to Watchet to keep boat owners updated on progress and future plans.

SWT assistant asset management director Jonathan Stevens told the meeting the council hoped to have the extended marina lease completed by the end of January.

He said the new lease would be much clearer about which responsibilities lay with the company and which fell to the council.