You only have to ask.

Thursday 24^th January 2013

This has been the mantra that we have heard so many times whilst we have been moored at Aston Marina – the problem is that many of us have had to ask a multitude of times before we seem to be heard.

Before we left to go cruising last year we had asked about the possibility of being able to have a location within the marina boundaries where we could set up a BBQ – the answer was that they didn’t want the marina to become a public area for people to bring their BBQ for a family day out – presumably they wanted people to be buying their food from the Bistro/Café.

We asked if it could be considered in due course.

After finishing our time out we came back in early October and focussed on the celebration of Australia Day (January 26^th) – over 3 months away – our simple request was to ask for an area where we could have a group of people and a BBQ.

After a few such askings the reply came back (over 6 weeks later) that they would be happier if we could make it on a Monday,  the marina shop and bistro are closed and there would not be any other people around.

OK, fair enough, we could make such an arrangement and we Australians amongst the group here prepared to change the day – after all the Monday would be the official public holiday in Australia anyway.

There have been a number of us – up to 20 people at a time -  turning up on a Monday afternoon for an afternoon coffee and a chat and chew – we had asked them about Australia Day for next week and a number sought to see if we could have the heaters and light made available (at the charge) for one of the cedar huts where we had been meeting.

We asked if this would be possible – if fact we asked three times before getting a flat refusal – apparently they were concerned about the hut burning down if we had the BBQ inside – we had stated it would be outside away from the hut.

Then they were concerned that no-one was around – they had requested us to hold it on a Monday when there was no-one around.

They found it too hard to arrange the power to be turned on to the hut – even though we were prepared to pay as any other general public user would have done.

It seems quite a shame that it seems we are being treated as citizens of a lower standing than the general public who come to the marina; it seems that the boats that are moored are being used as some type of spectacle for the general public who visit here – nice to have a coffee outside on the deck (warmer days) and watch out over the water and look at the boats; it seems that the management are very happy to provide a mooring point for you (for which we have to pay naturally) and then upgrade the facilities for the rest of the general public – work has already started on increasing the food storage area for the shop and butcher and to also increase the bistro size; the driveway into the marina has been resurfaced to remove the potholes for those who drive in – not usually boaters.

We feel a fair bit upset with the attitude that we have experienced from the marina management over the last few months and have gone from one of being very happy with the general feel of the place to one where a number of us feel that we really are being treated as 2^nd class citizens – may be I will need to ASK them about it.