A BRADFORD cafe owner who has benefitted from its location on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal has highlighted the importance of inland waterways to the economy but stressed that more investment in canals is needed.
Marcus Dearden, who runs the Five Rise Locks Café with his wife and daughters, says the Bingley business has gone from strength to strength in the 11 years they have been managing it.
When they first started it was only viable to open in summer, but they now operate for 12 months of the year because of the number of cyclists and walkers using the towpath. Over 2,000 canal boats also come to the area each year.
"So many people use the canal," said Mr Dearden. "It's a great place. It's like a haven - a little oasis in a busy valley.
"People from all over the world come to see the Five Rise Locks. It's the highest rise, from bottom to top, in the UK."
The Five Rise Locks Café, which is situated at the top of the Bingley Five Rise Locks, owes much of its success to its location and it is highlighted in a new report released by Inland Waterways Association (IWA).
In a bid to highlight the value and importance of the waterways network, the IWA, a charity that supports and regenerates Britain’s rivers and canals, has produced the new report, Waterways for Today.
The report demonstrates how inland waterways can contribute to the country’s economic recovery and outlines 12 ways they benefit the economy, the environment, local communities and lives of individual people.
The report highlights how canals and rivers create jobs and bring financial benefits through tourism and leisure. Boat-based tourism and leisure activities contribute £2.5 billion to the economy each year.
However, in order to maximise these benefits, the IWA says waterways need to be well maintained and looked after. Many of the waterways are in public ownership and it is vital they receive sufficient funding from national, devolved or local government.
Mr Dearden said: "I talk to a lot of visitors and they can't believe how great a facility the canal is.
"The amount of footfall has actually increased since after Covid. I think people got used to walking and staying local and the canal suits their purpose.
"The Five Rise Locks is the jewel of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, but they are literally falling to pieces because they desperately need investment.
"The government established the Canal and Rivers Trust as a charity just over ten years ago, but the competition for charity money is immense.
"The worry is the government is going to cut funding for the whole network which is already in decline."
Please visit the IWA website for ideas and suggestions on how to support to IWA’s campaign to secure funding for waterways.
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