Details emerge on new pontoon on Hereford’s river Wye

More details have emerged about a plan to install a pontoon on the river Wye in the heart of Hereford.

If approved by planners, it will become home to the Wye Princess, a former cruise boat on the river which had previously lain abandoned for 20 years.

The project to restore the boat and bring it back into service on the river has been led by local teenager Paige Hyde and her mother Laura Washbourne.

Gary Waring, owner of the city’s Left Bank Village venue and applicant to permit the pontoon in front of it, said the Wye Princess “is undergoing restoration to provide enriching river-based experiences for the community, particularly for disadvantaged individuals in Herefordshire”.

“By mooring the Wye Princess at the Left Bank Village, we aim to create a vibrant hub for leisure and tourism on the river Wye, offering pleasure cruises that celebrate its natural beauty and heritage,” he said.

The pontoon will not be for the exclusive use of the boat, and canoeists and other boats “will be most welcome” to use it also, he added.

A high-profile plan to install a new boat ramp and crane on the river in front of the nearby Sea Cadets building was rejected by councillors last October on the advice of government agency Natural England, suggesting the pontoon application may not be plain sailing.

“Our first interaction with Natural England was very helpful, and we are sure that we can produce a plan to gain the ‘no objection’ that is required from them, “ Mr Waring said.