Thames Leisure Boat Hire Blog

We are very pleased to announce that Dan Britton is hosting another summer boat party with Thames Leisure Boat Hire. This event has been a particular success in the past and we look forward to welcoming him back to the Miyuki Maru for the evening!

The event will take place on Saturday 21^st August 2010 from 5:50pm – 11pm. Pick up from Waterloo Pier (London Eye Pier) and drop off back at Waterloo Pier, which is located very close to London Victoria for easy access to trains and tubes.

Tickets are only £20 each, which means you can enjoy an idyllic and panoramic cruise between the Thames Barrier and the Houses of Parliament, whilst taking in all of London’s wonderful sights!

Please give us a call on 0207 623 1805 to book tickets as they’re selling fast. Payment by debit/credit card will be required over the phone.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Earlier this month the London 2012 Olympic Mascots were officially presented to the world. The two mascots, Mandeville and Wenlock, were formally unveiled at a press conference in Central London. The Olympic Committee said the aim of the two characters is to engage with children all around the world and encourage them to take up Olympic and Paralympic sports.

To keep up with the changing face of technology and social media, the two characters have been given their own website, as well as Twitter and Facebook accounts. The Committee hopes that their online social presence will help young people keep up to date with what the mascots are getting up to. Some of their planned activities include visiting schools and meeting Olympic athletes to find out how they train and prepare for their events.

When the London 2012 logo was first launched three years ago there was a large amount of controversy over its design, so it’s no surprise that the Mandeville and Wenlock have attracted similar criticism. Some bloggers and commentators in the media have accused the mascots of looking stupid and far too futuristic to be appropriate for the London games.

Although some of the more ‘mature’ bloggers haven’t been convinced of the mascots appeal, a lot of the younger generation are already big fans. The CBBC website is full of comments from children saying they are really keen on the new creatures. One young admirer praised the designs saying “They are really cute. I love their colours and shape!” Another youngster said they liked how the designs made them stand out from other mascots: “It was strangely random but we thought they were really funny. They are different from other mascots and that is why we like them.”

Here at Thames Leisure boat hire our team is divided on the designs. Some of us thought the characters would be great at appealing to kids (which is surely the point?) while others thought they looked a little cheesy and void of character. Why don’t you let us know what you think of Mandeville and Wenlock in the comments section? Whatever your opinion is on the two characters one thing is certain, they will be everywhere over the next two years!

If you would like to see how the building work for the Olympic Games is coming along you can get a great view from one of our riverboats sailing along the Thames. We also have a number of Thames party boats you can hire, although the Games are still a fair way off it’s never too early to start planning! What better way would there be to enjoy the opening ceremony fireworks than to be surrounded by your friends in a boat in the middle of the Thames?

June is one of the busiest months for events in and around London. For this blog post we got the team to hand pick some of their favourites to let you know what’s going on in the capital this month.

Traditionally a mum’s favourite and a major national institution: Wimbledon kicks off at the All England Club on 21^st June. Considered by many as the sport’s pinnacle tournament, the South-West London championships attract millions of TV viewers from all around the world. Every year the British public and media get themselves into a frenzy hoping a British player might finally win the tournament (the last Brit to win was Fred Perry back in 1936). This year our patriotic hopes lie with Andy Murray, who has impressed in recent Grand Slam events, notably reaching the US and Australian finals, but as we all know has yet to shine on home soil. Will this be Andy’s year? We certainly hope so!

If you are more a culture vulture than tennis fanatic, you will be glad to hear that June also plays host to the Holland Park Operas. The stunning parks and gardens, located in Kensington and Chelsea, make a fantastic and inspiring setting for classical music. This year the performances include Bizet’s Cameron, as well as a debut of a new version of the Fantastic Mr Fox commissioned especially for the Holland Park Opera season.

Father’s Day takes place on the 20^th, with plenty of exciting and rewarding days out in London that are perfect for dads. If he’s keen on maps, we particularly recommend taking him down to the British Library to see the Magnificent Maps exhibition where some of the finest cartography in history will be on display.

If your dad fancies himself as a bit of a foodie, then ‘Taste of London’ will be right up his palatable street. The event in Regents Park features taster stalls from some of London’s finest restaurants, as well as cooking displays from some of the best chefs in the world!

Image credit: Annie Mole.

If you and your dad are both football fans then you won’t need reminding that the World Cup takes place in June. Instead of staying at home or going to the pub to watch the games, you could treat your dad by taking him out to one of the many special screenings across London. The Sure Fan Zone is one of the biggest, located in Potters Park near the Tower of London, the event will feature live games shown on massive screens, as well as celebrity appearances and exclusive competitions.

Hopefully we’ve provided some inspiration on how to treat your dad this Father’s Day, as well as some other great days out. If you’re in London to check out any of these events then you might also enjoy hiring one of our boats on the Thames to get you and your dad around in style!

As many of you will be aware, Alice Backhouse has now left Thames Leisure to take up a new role much closer to home without the three hour killer commute she endured for the five years she was with us!

In her place we have a new member of staff called Helen who joined us earlier this month. Originally from Bristol, Helen has recently moved to London following nine months of travelling. Prior to that she worked at a College of Cambridge University organising events and weddings; once even meeting Orlando Bloom’s Dad (a claim to fame she brings up in conversation perhaps a little too often).

Helen has started at a good time with the company: just in time for the summer rush! Dates are getting booked up fast so make sure you call or email us to book your summer functions – be it a corporate function, private party or just a chance to spend time with friends and family while enjoying the beautiful scenery and – we can only hope – beautiful weather!

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

As most of you are probably aware the environment and public transport are two huge election issues across the country, but they are especially prominent here in London. Traffic jams and tube delays can make getting to and from work a time consuming, stressful start and finish to your working day.

To solve this common problem that many Londoners face, one political party has come up with a novel and fairly bizarre solution – water bikes!

At the start of last month the Monster Raving Looney Party’s April Knigel Knapp, sometimes known as the ‘Knight of the Unknown’, demonstrated his party’s solution to the transport and environmental issues that London faces, by cycling (or should we say sailing?) his Looney-bike past the Houses of Parliament.

The comedy politician claims his bikes will help the pubic get fit, cut down pollution and improve the economy by providing new jobs through the building of new canals and waterways.

Although these claims initially sound very promising; we’re not sure we could imagine many city boys, with their sharp suits and laptops, getting aboard Looney-bikes on those cold and dark November mornings!

If you like the idea of travelling along the Thames, but aren’t sure if Looney-bikes are for you (us neither!) the have a look at our Thames boat hire for a more conventional voyage!

At the start of the month one of London’s most long standing sporting events took place on the River Thames; the Oxford and Cambridge boat race. The historical clash takes place every year between Fulham and Chiswick, on a small part of the river called the Tideway.

The race was started in 1829 when Charles Merivale, a student at Cambridge, challenged his old school friend Charles Wordsworth, who was studying at Oxford, to a boat race. Since then the two universitie’s rowing teams have met each year at the start of spring for what is usually a fast paced and strongly competitive sporting spectacle.

The 1860 Oxford Crew

These days the race is televised internationally. In 2004, 8.8 million people tuned in to the BBC to watch Cambridge take the spoils in the 150^th meeting of the two illustrious teams.

The crews of the two universites consist of athletes from across the world, and include some of the finest rowers in the sport today. Former competitors for the two teams include Olympic champions Matthew Pinsent and Jonny Searle.

Contrary to popular media speculation, competitors in the boat race have to complete a full programme of study at either of the two universities. This means that students with intensive academic commitments have a hard time fitting in all their training whilst keeping up with lectures.

This was the 156^th time that the two universities had met. Oxford started the race well; however Cambridge came from behind to claim the win. Their victory prevented Oxford from completing a hat trick of triumphs. This year’s result took Cambridge’s total win tally to 80 compared to Oxford’s 75.

If you would like to take in the views of the River Thames, but at a more relaxed pace, have a look at our party boat hire to see how you can see the famous boat race course without having to worry about getting wet!

Most of you probably know by now how much we love London and the River Thames. We also love to hear other people’s perspective of our wonderful capital; whether it’s from a customer, arbitrary tourist or friends; everyone loves to provide their subjective view of London.

However, we’ve unearthed some rather famous quotes from a few eminent folks you may have heard of to highlight the diversity and popularity of our great city over the years. Here are our top 10:

1) “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
Samuel Johnson

2) “I don’t know what London’s coming to – the higher the buildings the lower the morals”
Noel Coward

3) “I’m leaving because the weather is too good. I hate London when it’s not raining.”
Groucho Marx

4) “Nothing is certain in London but expense.”
William Shenstone

5) It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle from Sherlock Holmes in The Copper Beeches

6) “London is the epitome of our times, and the Rome of to-day.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

7) “I do not think there is anything deserving the name of society to be found out of London.”
William Hazlitt

“Flowers are as common in the country as people are in London.”
Oscar Wilde

9) “In Paris, you learn wit, in London you learn to crush your social rivals”
Virgil Thomson

10) “Hell is a city much like London – A populous and a smoky city.”
Percy Bysshe Shelley

You can appreciate London and its unique landscape with Thames Leisure party boat hire throughout April with 15% off all our vessels. Happy spring!

Here at Thames Leisure, we often hear about some of the strange and wonderful things that lurk in our cherished river. Supermarket trollies, motor cycles, cars and even a Humpback Whale have all inhabited the tenebrous waters over the years, however, when we discovered that mechanical fish were swimming around, we just had to find out more.

Scientists from the University of Essex, Colchester, have developed schools of robotic fish (that look exactly like real fish) to identify areas of pollution in the Thames. Unlike genuine fish, these ‘Robofish’ have in-built GPS tracking systems, as well as Wi-Fi sensors that detect contaminated pockets. And as if these attributes weren’t impressive enough, they also have fins and tails that are propelled by powerful little motors that reach speeds of up to 15 mph! Blimey…

(Photo from Geekologie)

Once they detect a pollutant, they then send signals to other ‘class members’ of their school to come to the crime scene as quickly as possible. Next the Robofish takes an itemised reading of the area and relays this information back to its human colleagues on the river bank. Not bad for a days work….

Even though the weather continues to disconcert as the rain descends on our choppy waters, Thames Leisure boat hire is still celebrating the arrival of spring with 15% off our charter rates on all vessels during April. You never know, you may even see a strange little, mechanical fish swimming past at some point!

Reports by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have indicated that the eel population of the River Thames has fallen by 97% in the last five years.

It is feared that the drop in numbers could have a dramatic affect on other forms of wildlife, such as birds and fish in the river’s fragile eco system.

Eels embark on an incredible journey, swimming thousands of miles from the North Atlantic’s Sargasso Sea, all the way to Europe. Climate change, man made structures like dams, as well as changes in ocean currents have all been attributed with aiding the decline of eel numbers in the Thames.

As well as playing an important part in the River Thames’ eco system, eels have had a major role in East End culture for centuries. In the eighteenth century eels were so common in the Thames that nets were set up to catch them as far up the river as central London itself. Back then eels provided a cheap source of food for much of the working class of East London.

This dish is the real deal* (*cockney rhyming slang for eels)

Eel Pie and Mash Houses have always been extremely popular in the East End and at the end of the World War II there were around one hundred in East London. Due to changes in taste and increasing prices there are far fewer eel dining establishments than there once was; although they are still a big part of the area’s culture.

Dagenham-based boxer Kevin Mitchell said he will give up eels to help the numbers increase and raise awareness for their plight, he has also encouraged his fellow cockneys to do the same. “The East End wouldn’t be the same without them, and if my next fight can help save them then that’s great,” He said.

All of Thames Leisure’s boat hire on the River Thames can take you to the East End where you can enjoy jellied eels and mash for lunch anytime!

There are two really exciting shows this February in London that Thames Leisure boat hire always looks forward to.

Firstly, if you love weddings as much as we do, then The National Wedding Show is an absolute must. The three day event at London Earls Court from the 19th to 21st February will offer an amazing opportunity for wedding day inspiration, ideas and solutions to plan the perfect big day.
 

Image by www.exhibitor.com

 We absolutely love weddings at Thames Leisure and have many years experience in organising the perfect wedding on the Thames for you.
For more information visit www.thenationalweddingshow.co.uk

And…

Secondly, the International Confex 2010 from the 23rd to 25th February at Earls Court is key for those who work in or appreciate the events industry.

For three insightful days Confex offers an ideal place to catch up with existing contacts and make new ones. It showcases providers of venues, destinations and event support services both in the UK and internationally.

Image by www.international-confex.com

Those organising an event this year should come down for inspiration, ideas and solutions from the exhibition in order to make their event a success. The 2009 event was a huge triumph with nearly 15,000 visitors and this year the eager crowds are expected to reach 20,000.

Our events team will be popping down there to discover the latest industry trends and hopefully complete some business!
If you’re considering an unforgettable party on the Thames then our team would relish the opportunity to help plan and deliver your party requirements.

For more information visit www.international-confex.com