WATCHET marina boss Tim Taylor has hit back at critics of the struggling facility and blamed many of the current difficulties on the failure of others to address historic problems.

Local boat owners broke years of silence last month with unusually outspoken criticism on issues ranging from the levels of mud in the marina to claims of poor management and the lack of forward planning.

But this week Mr Taylor, who is temporarily living and working in America, responded to the concerns highlighted by the Watchet Boat Owners Association.

And he largely laid the blame at the door of West Somerset Council, which spearheaded the construction of the marina in 2001 with the help of substantial public funding.

Mr Taylor has been at odds with the district authority over a number of issues, including the planned demolition of the marina-side cargo shed – which he opposes – as well as long running differences over the redevelopment of the East Quay.

Mr Taylor said that like the WBOA he recognised that the marina should be Watchet’s showpiece but he was frustrated that other key stakeholders seemed to have a very different view or understanding.

The marina has been operating without a tidal gate for almost a year following a catastrophic failure of the gate hinge last September.

But Mr Taylor said since buying the marina in 2004 he had twice had the gate mechanism substantially reworked at considerable expense.

He said the design of the gate was the responsibility of the former marina operator Dean and Dyball but was ultimately agreed by the district council.

“When the marina was built, a full lock system should have been designed and installed but the money was instead spent on public enquiries and fighting the numerous objections to the marina project.

“When the money ran out this left an unfinished marina project, an ill-thought-through gate and a marina struggling to deal with the constant mud problems.”

Mr Taylor maintained that since buying the marina, he had constantly invested in it.

“Yet I have had no support from the council, almost no support from local and district councillors and, with the exception of the WBOA, very limited support from the people of Watchet – despite the fact that it brings in thousands of visitors every year.

“The marina really has had to fight to survive on its own and against all odds.”

Mr Taylor said he and marina manager James Burnell – who was praised by the WBOA for doing a sterling job in trying to keep the facility going on a shoestring – were working closely to consider options and a way forward, particularly to tackle the mud issue.

But a report on the mud problem commissioned by Mr Burnell with a view to identifying a viable long term solution had yet to be backed by the district council which had also failed to understand the idea or help the marina take it through to the next steps.

“I understand they have not dismissed it but, as normal, there is virtually no support.”

Mr Taylor said he was pleased, however, that the council had recognised its requirement to dredge the outer harbour, as failing to do this had significantly increased the mud situation.

He insisted a strategy for the future of the marina was being worked on and said he still believed it could be successful and that the mud problem could be solved.

But the marina had had to contend with a number of significant issues over the past 18 months, including the damaged tidal gate, the impending demolition of the cargo shed and new plans for the redevelopment of the East Quay being put forward by the community-led Onion Collective.

And although he said he applauded the idea and forward thinking of the East Quay scheme, he warned that he was not 100 per cent convinced that it made sense for the marina berth holders in its current design.

“Whatever happens on the quay has to complement the marina in every way,” he said.

“It has to work for the marina, otherwise what’s the point.”

Mr Taylor said his plea to WBOA members and local people would be to lobby councillors to persuade the council to work with him to permanently solve the mud issues in both the marina and outer harbour – a problem that required all parties to work together.

A West Somerset Council spokesman told the Free Press that the authority was keen to see the area around Watchet Harbour thrive.

“We are working with boat owners, marina operators, the Onion Collective and other interested groups to explore how we can achieve this,” she said.

And Naomi Griffith from the Onion Collective said the organisation agreed that working with the marina was imperative: “That is why we have spent the last year negotiating to fulfil the marina and berth holder requirements,” she said.

“We are pleased that Tim Taylor is publicly supporting our project and we look forward to ironing out the final few creases.

“It’s just a shame for Watchet that the marina’s personnel problems over the past year have prevented progress yet again.

“We will continue as a community-led, not-for-profit organisation to work to deliver the outcomes that the people of Watchet have told us they want.”

Meanwhile, WBOA secretary Ray Ventura said he was pleased that apart from differences of opinion on specific aspects of the concerns previously raised by the organisation, Mr Taylor agreed that all interested parties needed to work together to resolve the main issues – the mud and the development of the East Quay.

“Everyone seems to be singing from the same hymn sheet so let’s hope they can all sing in the same church.

“The WBOA will do whatever it can to facilitate this.”