Residents have called on a central London council to reject a boating company's alcohol licence, saying customers have defecated in their gardens and rammed into other boats during boozed-up rental sessions.
The 37-strong group, which includes residents' associations and another boating business, said they've seen public sex, nudity, intimidation, harassment and thousands of pounds worth of damage to their properties as a result of boat rentals, a council report shows.
GoBoat said their new luxury service was "not a return to unsupervised drinking" and is instead aimed at small groups seeking a "serene and well-managed boating experience". It said the service, known as GoBoat Luxe, will operate from Merchant Square in Paddington with a trained and qualified skipper on board, who will monitor customers' alcohol consumption.
GoBoat stopped customers drinking on their range of self-driving rental boats following protests from residents and barge owners, an application before Westminster City Council says. One objector said boozy punters would engage in "boorish behaviour" including indecent exposure, urinating onto the towpath, “mooning” and threats of violence to other boat owners.
They said the situation improved markedly when GoBoat stopped people taking drinks on board but feared allowing the practice to return would "simply mean a return to the bad old days".
They wrote: "We residents on the canal have quite enough to deal with - cyclists, pedestrians, dog-owners allowing their pets to defecate all over the towpath, without rowdy, antisocial behaviour by GoBoat punters.
"The sober ones have enough trouble steering and controlling the boats, drunk ones are a menace we can do without."
See also: My houseboat hell – why living on the canal isn’t for everyone
A boater said they had witnessed more than 40 incidents including drunken boaters colliding with others, causing damage then fleeing, and flashing "in front of children".
They claim to have seen open drug use on board, customers shouting profanities and "general disorder" outside house boats. Another said: "I absolutely object to this - the last time the GoBoaters were allowed alcohol, I had people peeing onto the side of my boat, appalling driving as they carelessly bashed into the boats. Screaming through the tunnels. Absolutely not. Please God no."
One resident said they had seen wildlife chased and killed and another claimed to have witnessed sexual acts and vomiting. Yet another resident said they almost moved away because of the racket. Others say the entrance to Maida Vale tunnel had become a hotspot for public defecating while one boater claimed to have been paid out thousands of pounds by GoBoat's insurers after a customer rammed into his vessel.
The application received one letter of support. Its author wrote: "The water needs to attract all, it needs diversity and a bottle of something on the slow sojourn to Camden is too perfect to deny to people. Plus, those are the people who tend to be fun and to retrieve stuff for me when I have dropped it in."
GoBoat said their skipper will be solely responsible for the boat's navigation and will also actively monitor "limited" alcohol consumption to "prevent any inappropriate conduct". They will also provide cool boxes for drinks which the company claims will stop punters from using glass or bringing excessive supplies.
The company has also promised zero tolerance for unruly behaviour and reserves the authority to return a boat to its pontoon immediately if rules are broken. According to the application, alcohol will be sold from GoBoat's kiosk in Merchant Square.
Grant Sweeney, co-founder of GoBoat London, said: "GoBoat Luxe represents a completely different approach to our operations, featuring professionally qualified skippers with Power Boat Level 2 certifications who will drive the boats while remaining sober, ensuring that no customers are drinking alcohol and driving a boat at our Paddington location.
"The Luxe service includes strict alcohol consumption limits, bag checks, ranger boat patrols to ensure responsible operation and has received approval from Canal & River Trust, demonstrating confidence in our professional approach."
The company currently manages 16 rental boats and a narrowboat but these won't be used for selling alcohol. The company operates boats in Paddington, Canary Wharf, Kingston and Thames Ditton, according to its website.
From £10 per person, based on eight people sharing, customers can enjoy up to three hours cruising along London's canals. No boating license is required and the boats travel at a speed of 3-6mph - an equivalent of 2.6-5.2 knots.
Westminster City councillors will review the request during a licensing meeting on Wednesday, June 4.
