Fleetwood's last remaining fishermen at odds with Associated British Ports over Jubilee Quay access issue

The small handful of boat owners on Jubilee Quay say the land was given to the fishermen of Fleetwood by Queen Victoria and is a last remaining legacy of the town’s fishing heritage.

However, Associated British Ports (ABP) the current land owners, say the boat owners’ stubborn stance means they are now obstructing vital flood safety work that needs to be carried out by the Environment Agency.

ABP says it is urging the current occupants of Jubilee Quay to allow engineering inspections to take place without further delay, for the safety of Fleetwood.

A spokesperson from ABP said: “It is very disappointing that a small number of people are seeking to prevent work which is for the good of Fleetwood.”

“ABP agreed to fund the investigatory works at Jubilee Quay for the benefit of the proposed scheme and the community of Fleetwood.

“Despite the plans being communicated in advance to Quay users, and emphasising that they would still have pedestrian access along the Quaywith fencing in place to segregate the workspace from members of the public contractors, ABP’s employees and contractors have experienced wholly unacceptable levels of hostility from the current occupiers of the Quay.

This has meant we have had to further postpone this vital work.”

However, the fishermen say they are in favour of the environmental inspections but are concerned about the future of Jubilee Quay.

John Worthington said: “We are supportive of the EA’s flood defence plans, although we question where the defences are proposed to end, since knowing this land and the tides as we do, there is no protection included at the end of the quay.

“We fear that any large flooding event will simply sweep around the proposed defences and continue into the town anyway.

“We also object to proposals we have heard about, to infill the quay, ending Jubilee Quay as a working quayside and any prospect of encouraging small fishing boats back.

“We have asked for assurances that the findings from the proposed survey work will not be used to support ABP’s aggressive agenda of our removal, and the closure of the quay but these assurances have not been forthcoming.”

The fishermen say that during its decades long tenure as the port authority, ABP has allowed thw whole of Fleetwood Docks to be run down.

it was announced earlier this year that Fox Brothers have boiught the docks from ABP and will take over the running of its amenitied.

Mr Worthington added: “We do look forward to more investment in the town and are hopeful of Fox’s purchase of the port estate will mean fishing can once again help contribute to this town’s wealth.”