A LOCAL boat owner has successfully sued Watchet Harbour Marina for the return of two years’ mooring fees totalling £4,388.28 after claiming that the lack of dredging had made the harbour unfit for purpose.

Retired headteacher Jonathan Pearman, who until recently kept his 27ft yacht in Watchet, obtained a County Court judgment last October but said this week there had been no response or payment from the marina, and the matter was now in the hands of the county court bailiffs.

Mr Pearman, who lives in Watchet, claimed: “The marina leaseholder failed to dredge, rendering the harbour unfit for purpose..

“Access is difficult, now dangerous, and carries a ‘notice to mariners’ warning.

“The water-retaining gate and the marine safety lights no longer function. A historic harbour has been ruined by wilful neglect.”

He said that his problems with the marina went back to 2017 when the company’s dredger failed.

“I paid the full annual fee for the next two years after an assurance that dredging would take place but it didn’t. It has all been very stressful and unpleasant.”

Excuses for lack of dredging ranged from unsuitable parts for repairs, to engine damage caused by “the wrong sort of oil”.

“By now, mud levels had risen so high that there were problems getting in and out of the harbour and, for my boat, movement was impossible at neap tides.

“I decided to leave the marina as there was no sign of the marina operator providing water at all states of the tide.

“A new water-injection dredger was scheduled to start work at Easter, 2019, but so far has failed to come into operation.

“Another season was lost and the marina failed in its duty of care to berth-holders.

“There was no support and we were told ‘If you don’t like it, leave’. Not surprisingly, the marina is operating at about 20 per cent capacity and boats leave weekly.”

Mr Pearman added: “With a Yachtmaster qualification and 12,000 miles voyaging around Europe, I am well placed to comment on the dismal management in this harbour.

“It is with regret that I have moved my boat to another harbour and so many others have done the same.”

No-one at Watchet Harbour Marina was available for comment.