Fishing Rights

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Good Old Boy

Guest
I have been offered some fishing rights on the thames in oxford for a resonable price, I am intrested but i have no idea about the legal side of it all.
Do any members of this site have any advice on what to look out for when entering into an agreement like this with a land owner. I should mention that its not dealing directly with the land owner it is via property agency.
Any help appreciated.
 
B

Budgie Burgess

Guest
I am sure there are many potential pit falls that others will be able to advise you of but the only problem I ever had was with right of acsess.Check this out as you dont want to end up as I did with the fishing rights to a piece of water but no acsess!
 
W

Wolfman Woody

Guest
I think it's deemed illegal to sell the fishing rights or licence them out without providing some decent access rights. It's a dead contract otherwise because you can't use it, but our Nigel on FM might know more about that

Who's the agent, Savills? If so they're usually pretty good.

Where is it? I might be interested in a ticket. Try to get some good secure car parking and rights to tidy up the banks and cut out some swims. Don't commit yourself to a long term contract unless you know its potential and even if you do, watch that he can't keep increasing his prices year on year out of all proportion.

You can't change the bank without planning permission from the Environment Agency.

In general if you know the owner to be a reasonable person then you should be alright. Contracts are there for when it all goes tits-up.
 
W

Wolfman Woody

Guest
Just as a lesson - there's a stretch of water in Marlow on which the fishing rights are owned by the LAA. However, they acquired them by 'adverse occupation' back in Victorian times and there was obviously no agreement with the then owner to provide access rights.

The present farmer (whose father bought the property in 1913) denied them access and won his case in Court. The LAA said they can fish from the towpath, but you are not allowed to block the towpath with any obstacles (eg. rods). Also there is a bit of land varying from 6" to 3 feet between the towpath and the river and that still belongs to the farmer and the anglers cannot cross it.

Stalemate.
 
G

Good Old Boy

Guest
Guys.

Thanks for the info so far, Here is some more info that may help out.

The agency is FPD Savills, The water is know as Wharf stream as well as a small stretch of the river Thames in Eynsham which is Oxfordshire. The info provided states the rights to fish are via foot from a public footpath on the B4044. They have also mentioned that there is a pub which if we approach the landlord of said pub that are open to us possibly parking in there car park and you can get to the venue from there as well. I believe there is a footbridge on the venue as well. The cost per annum is ?375.00 and they would like to lease it for three years but again we can go on a year to year basis if preferred. I have never been involved in setting up something like this before so any help is very gratefully received and any questions i should ask them would be handy. If we do end up getting it then i will let FM know via a post and anyone interested will be warmly welcomed. Again were not interested in making loads of money so memberships would basically be to cover the costs of the lease and depending on what needs to be done to the venue as such.
We are going to look at the place tonight
to get an rough idea of what we may be taking on.

Thanks Guys.
 
J

jason fisher

Guest
perch perch perch perch perch perch perch perch.
my mate had 23's and a 4 out of that bit of wharfe stream right next to the river in one afternoon.
 
W

Wolfman Woody

Guest
On the map it looks like a good half to one kilometre of fishing, providing all other things fall into place I'd take it.

If you don't want it, I'll take a look.

It's a steal. Bit of fishing, wrap it up in the pub for a quick one before sloping off home. Lovely jubbly!
 
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Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)

Guest
I would be more than happy to cast my eye over any draft lease which I presume Savills will be drawing up.They have a good reputation in this field & I suspect it will be their standard agreement but that doesn't mean you cant tweak it a little if there is anything you are not confortable with.

Access,rent revue & termination provisions are what you need to be careful about.

Send me a private mail & we can take things further if you want.

PS Gratis of course!!
 
W

Wolfman Woody

Guest
Mark,

I've just talked it over with 'er indoors.

If it looks okay to you and you get thefishing below the weir there, I'll back it for you.

You should be looking at 15 or so swims I would think after a bit of work. I'm serious about this! Can look it over this weekend if you like but don't dally or it will have gone!

Email me with your phone number and we'll talk.
 
A

Ashe Hurst

Guest
MR B.
You lucky Chappy.

only 3 yrs? you may get an extension to this if things go well, also it means you can get out quick if things go pear shaped. Not bad offer though, but like the others say check the lease/deeds, get a solicitor to double check.

Speek to your local EA office and council for future planned developments, bylaws , access.

Is this for club/ match or day ticket. looks like you will get your ??? back.

Dont forget that you could require to take out public liability insurence.

Shop around for this, if its a bit steep check out BTCV policy.

I have ?5 million cover for only ?230 pa

Anyway, must meet up again some time, been too long mate. send my regards to the family
 
B

Baz

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Who is responsible for upkeep of footpaths and surrounding trees etc. I just thought I would mention it as I know of a club who are going through a bad patch involveing the upkeep of the surroundings, also any lock gates or walls.
But you seem to have some good advice from people off this site and hopefully things will be okay.
Good Luck in your new venture.
 
W

Wolfman Woody

Guest
I looked over this water on Sunday with Jason. It looks an interesting piece though there aren't many swims ready-made on it right now.

There's a main river bit with perhaps 3 swims and some more at the top end, but you'd have to climbe over barbed wire for them. There's also one by the sluice, very fast water tailing off which looks very barbel-y.

There's an interesting, slow moving drain called the wharf 2-3 metres wide that needs a cleaning out in parts (lots of parts), but the most interesting bit for me is a fast flowing bit that by-passes the main sluice. This is just over 1 metre wide, but those little brooks can be fascinating once you learn how to fish them.

The unknown factor is what fish stocks are there? Does anyone know this area, live near there? It's just south of Eynsham downstream of the toll bridge (cost Jason a full 5 pence to cross it!)
 
G

Good Old Boy

Guest
As Jeff has said it is a lovely stretch of water with lots of potential albeit a lot of work needs to be done and could cost a fair bit to get up and running, Sadly i will not be purchasing the lease on this venue as sadly due to work commitments i won't have the time to turn this around to a decent venue. I received the Licence Agreement this morning. Within this document they have placed the following.

To improve access to the river and maintain fishing conditions.

There is photographic evidence of the condition of of the bank as of the 1st June 2000, The agent will inspect the venue at any given time to ensure these improvements have been carried out and monitor its condition form time to time.
I understand that they need to inspect the venue to insure that we have not damaged the owners property but to what degree.
I do hope that somebody that has the time to turn this venue around as it does have potential and would make a lovely venue. Im not to downhearted as i will one day have a venue and it would be excellent to hold a FM match on it, FREE OF CHARGE of course.

I would like to thank you all for your help and encouragement on this post epically Jeff as he helped me massively around the pitfalls and pluses of owning/running a venue/club He really was a Good Old Boy........

Mark.
 
W

Wolfman Woody

Guest
Mark, do you have any other conditions from the licence? I be grateful to see them. I have conatced this Belinda sort again and she apoligises that she hasn't sent me anything yet.

I think it would be great to hold an FM fish-in on it with one rule, every two or three hours everyone must move. We'll make it a true roving fish-in. Pipe dreams for the future, but if I take it on it will be free for the day to you guys on FM.

Did she provide any pictures from 2000?
 
G

Good Old Boy

Guest
Jeff.

Sent you a P.M, Give us the details and i will send it over.
 
J

jason fisher

Guest
the rights have lapsed on the windrush at stanton harcort too, so it might be worth having a look at it if you could find out who held them, look for the rose revived pub at newbridge it's only the field across the road a couple of hundred yards of the best small river fishing in britain in my opinion.
 
G

Good Old Boy

Guest
Jason.

Cheers for that, I know the stretch you are on about, apparently the rights have lapsed on the thames at clifton hampden as well but from what i have heard the owner of the land is not looking to lease it anymore but it was a fair distance to walk, unless of course that it was just me being slightly unfit. Slightly is the key word here :)
 
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Wolfman Woody

Guest
If I was closer Jason, I'd look that one up as well. This one's pushing it, it 32 miles exactly from door to pub.

You should investigate all of these stretches of river. If we lose them, we may never get them back.
 
J

jason fisher

Guest
the wind rush is probably closer to you jeff than the other bit, if not the same distance, you may even have gone over it on your way there seeing as you got lost
 
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