The Royal Iris Rotting in the Thames. A sorry sight to a vessel that means as much as the Liver Brird to most people in Liverpool.

http://i45.tinypic.com/20teyi1.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/adjnkm.jpg

In better time on the Mersey:
http://i45.tinypic.com/2hh0xzc.jpg

Petition to Bring Her Home:
http://www.royaliris.co.uk/

Nice pics John, similar to these (http://www.flickr.com/photos/liverpoolpictorial/) by Dave Wood.

I see you have copied them onto your own tinypic account. :ohno:

Without the emotional attachment, I just see a rusty ferry, I do believe in the preservation of things but is it really vital to preserve this rust bucket? genuine question

Hiya Folks,
I'm here to ask you to please sign a petition to bring the Royal Iris back to Merseyside. You can sign up at http://www.royaliris.co.uk . I'll be giving the petition to the owner and also Greenwich Council who I think cover this part of Woolwich (please correct me if I'm wrong). The good news is that there's a Wirral based buyer, the bad news is that the owner can be a little elusive at times.

Here's the preamble from the petition website:
"As you are aware, the Royal Iris is in a perilous state, rotting away on the River Thames. She took on a load of water in February and the Port of London Authority is now concerned she may break up and create a hazard for the River Thames shipping traffic.

The Royal Iris is not loved in London and that's understandable. She is an eyesore and has no part in London's maritime heritage. She needs to be back on Merseyside where people care for her and recall the happy days when she sailed up and down the River Mersey."

Edit:
There's an article about her in tomorrow's Echo. Subject to any breaking news, it'll be on page 3. It'll be in the DP as well.

Without the emotional attachment, I just see a rusty ferry, I do believe in the preservation of things but is it really vital to preserve this rust bucket? genuine question

I believe there is merit in bringing the Iris back to Merseyside and it's something I would very much like to see happen. I've written about it in my blog here....

http://sochoice.wordpress.com/

To me it seems that the Iris has as much of a right to be preserved, if not more so, than the U Boat by Mersey ferries.

I have written about 3 ideas for the ship in my blog. These are....


1. The 'Beatle Boat' concept - Liverpool Docklands.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0FaQ7TxM2U0/Sp01mBe5iTI/AAAAAAAABSA/coaVinJuUQE/s1600/royalirisbeat.jpg

"Well that was me, royal iris, on the river
Mersey beat'n' with the band, that was me"
Paul McCartney - 'That Was Me'

....so sang Paul McCartney on his 'Memory Almost Full' album. The Beatle's - Royal Iris connection is very strong with the boat playing a massive role in the Merseybeat scene of early 60's Liverpool. The Beatles performed gigs on the Iris along with other Mersey giants such as Gerry and the Pacemakers and a load of Cavern acts.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0FaQ7TxM2U0/Sp04IYT_6GI/AAAAAAAABSQ/Yd2bheoeWCM/s1600/riverboatshuffle.jpg

"The Royal Iris" is a reference to Royal Iris, a ferry boat that used to sail on the River Mersey, and they used to have these things called 'riverboat shuffles', where people would buy tickets and there'd be a band, and booze, and food, and the ferry would go up and down the river and we'd play. So things like that. It's just remembering that I did all of those things". - Paul McCartney.

One idea for the boat could be to relocate her in a suitable Liverpool environment, perhaps one of the docks (any from Prince's up to the north docks), where it would lie a bit inland within the dock and be sheltered somewhat from the harsh marine environment of a river (be it the Thames or the Mersey). The boat would then be revamped and given bright psychodelic Sgt Pepper era colours and renamed 'The Beatle Boat' and ran as a Beatles tourist industry kind of thing. The boat could take part in the usual Mathew Street festival shenanigans and could host Beatles and Merseybeat events. Within 10-20 years Liverpool Waters would be built up around it and it would become a charming part of the scheme and 'part of the furniture'.


2. Wirral Waters leisure boat. - Birkenhead Docklands.

Wirral Waters is Peel Holdings £4.5 billion 50 year vision for a waterscape based new downtown area, for Birkenhead docklands. Word has it that a large element and focus of the scheme is an “international-quality leisure destination”. The company remained tight-lipped about this element of the scheme, but it is understood to include a number of leisure and retail elements and would probably also focus on outdoor, possibly water-based, activities. Could the Royal Iris, find a home within the Great Float/Vittoria Dock, perhaps as a Mersey Ferries museum peice, or as a private concern?


3. New Brighton Marine Lake - Fish 'n' Chip shop resturant concept.

My personal wish would be for the boat to return to the place it was synonimous with, in New Brighton. The Iris in it's heyday carried over 2,000 passengers a weekend to New Brighton, itself still a major seaside resort at the time, which had it's own Ferry stage. Onboard the Iris there was a dancefloor and stage, a tea room, buffet, cocktail bar, even a fish and chip saloon. The latter giving the Royal Iris the nickname "the fish and chip boat". The Royal Iris played a major part in the leisure industry of the seaside town of New Brighton.

Merseytravel the operators of Mersey Ferries have been making some moves into the museum and tourism industry with a Beatles museum in the new Pier Head Ferry Terminal, a 'Spaceport' at Seacombe ferry and even housing a historic and authentic German U-Boat at their Ferry fascility at Woodside.

....clearly there is a focused leisure and tourism strategy at their Mersey Ferries division, to add museum peices and other interesting leisure fascilities to go alongside their ferry terminals. All the evidence is that this has been succesful and is paying a great dividend. According to findings in research undertaken by England’s Northwest Research Service for economic development and tourism, the Ferries, together with The Beatles Story, Spaceport and the U-Boat Story attracted 343,000 tourists last year with 16 per cent visiting from overseas.

Neil Scales, chief executive of Merseytravel, has said: "This is a fantastic success story. Ten years ago we decided to reposition the Mersey Ferries into the tourism market when it was evident that their future as a mere cross-river commuter service was bleak. We have invested more than £50 million in this policy and it is now paying handsome dividends for the region. The Mersey Ferries are the most popular paid-for attraction in the region and with our additional attractions their popularity is increasing. We now have the fabulous new Pier Head terminal building, which includes the Beatles exhibition, and a refurbished cafe alongside U-534 at the Woodside Ferry Terminal to attract even more visitors.”

The report concludes that the Mersey Ferries attractions have the potential to grow by more than 25 per cent over the next decade bringing in an additional 300,000 visitors. Word has it that Wirral Borough Council in conjunction with Neptune the developers of the new £75 million New Brighton developments are interested in creating a new Pier for New Brighton. Merseytravel in turn are said to be interested in the possibility of running a Ferry stage at such a Pier and continuing it's succesfull river cruises down to New Brighton.

A new ferry terminal at New Brighton (the last Ferry service to New Brighton being in the 1970's, when the landing stage was dismantled) would be a major plus for the resort's rising fortunes and is a massively exciting prospect. When you add to this Merseytravel's succesfull strategy of having leisure and tourist focused attractions at or near their Ferry fascilities, having the Royal Iris back as a destination in itself would make a lot of sense.

The Iris does not need to be operational as a sea going vessel. She doesn't need to move at all to still be an attraction. My idea would be to house the Royal Iris within the soon to be remodelled Marine Lake in New Brighton. In this way the ship could lie stable on the Marine Lake bed, perhaps the hull being held in place, and moored in a stable manner to the quayside. The movement of the ship would then be minimal and the sea and marine lake walls would ensure much calmer waters than the Thames or Mersey. In a similar way to the first idea of having the boat moored in one of Liverpool's docks, the ship would be somewhat sheltered from the harshness of the sea or a wild running river and would not be subject to any tides due to it being a marine lake.

This is Neptune's render showing what they plan to create at the new Marine Lake....

http://www.shove-media.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/MV-04_02_web.jpg

....as you can see the plans are for an attractive row of shops, cafes and quayside resturants running along a new boardwalk along the Marine Lake. You can see on the picture that space will be allocated for moorings for small boats. Why not also have the Iris along the quaysaide and run it as an attraction in it's own right? This could be operated by Mersey Ferries as a muesum piece with a resturantuer brought onboard to run a posh Fish 'N' Chip gastro resturant on the ship. On the lower levels you could have a nightclub with a focus on local bands or for a much needed over 21 year olds club night with decent DJ's.

I think the idea has some merit.

Some excellent ideas there Evertonian. It´s a crying shame the state the boat´s in. I remember going to a dance on the Royal Iris aged about 17 when I was told by my mother that she didn´t mind me having a pint or 2, but not to go overboard. :lol:

What's the estimated cost for purchasing it, renovating it, refurbishing the interior and maintaining it?

That's an interesting question i'd like to know the answer to myself.

I read somewhere that back in the day £3 million was required to fit her to Mersey Ferry standards to carry passengers. Of course there is no actual need for the ship to be that "sea worthy", she just needs to be berthed and doesn't need to actually move at all, nor does she need to carry passengers 'cross river.

Does anyone know how much it cost to house the U Boat? That was in a much worse state than the Iris and much larger. It had to be cut into peices and coated and a whole visitor attaction built around it.

Surely the Iris could be made tow safe to tow up to Birkenhead where she could be made right at Cammel Lairds, right!??? You would think this wouldn't be impossible. Then it could be moved as the U Boat was, via huge load trucks....or even towed down the Mersey to a New Home at one of the docks or at New Brighton, where she could be lifted into the lake.

Would it cost more than the U Boat costed? Don't know. The bloke might sell her for a quid for all we know to get it off his hands.

Surely the Thames river authorities don't want her rotting in their river and could force the guy to make a decision?

I suspect that the easiest part of the process might be purchasing her - providing her owner turns up for meetings convened to discuss the price. He sounds really dodgy to me. Heaven only knows what his agenda is all about.

There would then need to be a proper inspection to determine what was needed (how much of a rebuild etc). I guess she would have to be put on some kind of barge and towed to the Mersey. If left on the Thames the best will in the world won't save her - she needs to be local where her neediness can play on our collective guilty conscience!

I guess the group behind this are doing it on a one stage at a time basis - which is more digestible.

...

That's an interesting question i'd like to know the answer to myself.I read somewhere that back in the day £3 million was required to fit her to Mersey Ferry standards to carry passengers. Of course there is no actual need for the ship to be that "sea worthy", she just needs to be berthed and doesn't need to actually move at all, nor does she need to carry passengers 'cross river.
...
I would be very surprised if it wasn't a great deal more than that.

In fact a great deal more than the cost of a new ship. A full-size look-alike replicas, identical from outside. Twin-screw diesel electric 1250T, 160ft LOA.

Reportedly (Wallasey News) she cost GBP256,000 in 1950. Using the most appropriate measure (average earnings) that would be around GBP20,000,000 as an upper bound in today's money. Using another measure (RPI) that would be about GBP6,600,000 and gives some indication as to today's third-word shipyard cost. http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/

Surely Cammell-Lairds could build it for a price somewhere in between those figures as a way to jump start itself back into the shipbuilding business?

That has to be a better way to spend money, a new ship would have a longer life, modern amenities onboard and a lot more capabilities and commercial possibilities. Back in Wallasey Corporation livery the nostalgia factor would be totally huge.

There's an article about her in the Echo (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2010/03/04/online-bid-to-save-liverpool-s-mersey-ferry-the-royal-iris-100252-25959296/) today.

Great work Dave! :cheers:

Added your link to my Facebook status too.

Anyone know the actual reasons for selling the Royal Iris in the first place and what it has been doing in the meantime (apart from decaying)? I see there's another old boat in the Echo today, currently at the bottom of a Birkenhead dock. Surely all these things should be permanently berthed alongside the Albert (and other Docks) and utilised as restaurants/hotels/clubs/homes/living-exhibits etc. Nothing more dead than an empty dock, and nothing more alive than a full one!

I was reading that with disgust,the council and politicians have no repect for history in this city.A historic boat in need of repair next to a ship repair yard allowed to sink,people need to be held to account for this.:ohno:

Plea for historic Merseyside D-Day landing craft to be saved

Mar 5 2010

Plea for historic Merseyside D-Day landing craft to be saved

AN HISTORIC Merseyside naval vessel which saw action in the D-Day landings is in danger of being lost for ever after she started sinking.

The Landfall is the last surviving tank landing craft to take place in the D-Day landings and was rumoured at one stage to be on the point of being acquired by Steven Spielberg for use in his World War Two blockbuster Saving Private Ryan.

The vessel’s future has been uncertain ever since her former owner, the Warship Preservation Trust, went into liquidation in 2006.

She is now largely submerged in the Birkenhead dock which has been her home for more than a decade.

After being taken out of military service, the D-Day Mark III Tank Landing Craft LCT 7074 was converted and used as a floating club and restaurant based at Liverpool’s Canning Dock in the 1960s and 1970s

Former joint owner, George “Jud” Evans, said: “She is the only part of our maritime history linking us to the D-Day landings.

“Most cities would prize something like that and put her on display as a tourist attraction.

“Instead, she has been laid up in a Birkenhead dock for many years and has now sunk, which is outrageous.”

Mr Evans, 75, has written a book and also has a website on the history of the vessel. He is now hoping a “Save The Landfall” campaign can be started to raise money for her restoration and berthing in the Albert Dock system as a major tourist attraction.

He said the Landfall was the last truly British-built and crewed vessel of her type to land troops on the shores of France.

Mr Evans said: “I was truly shocked by the news she was allowed to sink, particularly when one remembers the valiant men who crewed her and the soldiers who sailed in her, many of whom gave their lives that we might remain free.”

When used as the headquarters of the Merseyside Master Mariners’ Club, the Landfall was the first port of call for officers and sailors of visiting Royal Navy vessels.

After being commissioned in 1944, she was sent to join the Normandy invasion fleet. Tanks and troops of the Desert Rats were landed and in the following months she sailed back and forth across the Channel carrying equipment and fighting units.

Hostilities ceased while the 500-ton vessel was undergoing a refit in Liverpool. Just as the scrap dealers were ready to swoop, she was turned into a clubhouse and began a new era.

signed.

Excellent work by Mr Wood! It takes guts to decide to go for something like this, and he deserves all our thanks for making the effort and going for it.

It would be fantastic to see this ship back, and whether it's as one of Evertonian's ingenious ideas or used as something else it would bring part of the heart back to the city. It was by far the most graceful of the ferries of the modern era, certainly of my lifetime.

It's only because Liverpool is such a poor city (and region) that we lose so much of our heritage. If it were a building in the city centre, it would be listed, but in many senses it's more evocative and important than that to our collective memory and identity.

I fear a replica will be the ony option. A new look-alike with a completly new interior with conference facilities and a party cruise boat.

I fear a replica will be the ony option. A new look-alike with a completly new interior with conference facilities and a party cruise boat.

Wow....im amazed the world isnt full of philistines for not spending the millions required to excavate a dock to house the fixed up Iris, no matter what the outlandish cost.

Dickhead.

A Wirral man with very deep pockets will fund everything and he has also found a place to berth her:)

The plan is to have her cruising up and down the Mersey and making money within 4 years. Subject to the current owner, obviously.

Please sign www.royaliris.co.uk

I can't see any point in replicating her. The passion is all about her not something that looks like her.

Does anyone know why the owner is proving so elusive?

The petition link seems to be down (11.15 on 8/3)

^^
Agree. No reason to replicate her when the Wirral businessman has the money anyway.

Apologies for the crash earlier today. The bandwidth got hammered and I forgot to take the throttle off:ohno:

Radio Merseyside interview with the owner of the Royal Iris here (http://www.royaliris.co.uk/jegede.html)

Please sign the petition (http://www.royaliris.co.uk)

Campaign to conserve D-Day boat sinking in Birkenhead
Landfall in the docks

One of the last surviving landing craft from the D-Day invasions at risk of sinking in a Merseyside dock.

Landfall, a Landing Craft Tank, that could carry 11 Sherman tanks lies half submerged in Birkenhead docks.

The craft, LCT 7074, is the last known survivor of over 700 that took part in the Normandy invasion on 6 June, 1944.

"I think it is absolutely essential that she is saved," Pat Moran, Chair of Liverpool Retired Merchant Seafarers Association told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"This is not even a piece of British heritage, this is World heritage."

The ship was handed to the Master Mariners of Liverpool by the Royal Navy after the end of World War II.

For many years it was anchored in Liverpool's Canning Dock where it served as a lunch club.

Landfall is listed in the National Register of Historic Ships as part of The UK National Historic Fleet.

Hundreds of landing craft were used to deliver troops to the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.

Coming under heavy fire many of the crews were either killed or injured while attempting to land on the shores of northern France.

LCT 7074 was built at Hawthorne Leslie and Co. Ltd on the River Tyne and launched in April 1944.

The vessel took part in the D-Day landings on 6 June, 1944 landing tanks and troops on GOLD beach, and in the months that followed carried supplies across the English Channel in support of Allied operations.

Landfall
The D-Day survivor is part of The UK National Historic Fleet

In 1945 she was moved to Liverpool with a view to converting her to an emergency repair ship for service in the Far East, the Japanese surrender later that year meant the conversion was never completed and instead the ship remained in Liverpool taking on the role as a lunch club.

In later years Landfall became part of the Historic Warships collection in Birkenhead and when the attraction closed in 2006 passed in to the ownership of Peel Ports.

Pat Moran says that Landfall's history means its important it is preserved, "The three crucial battles in World War Two, the pivotal battles were the Battle of the Atlantic, Stalingrad and Normandy.

"She is practically the last survivor, HMS Belfast was there but certainly none of the landing craft [survived].

"And these were not the glamorous craft these are just the little workhorses that were built specifically for that job.

"We've turned away the Manxman, the Royal Iris and now the Landfall.

"These are essential parts of our heritage."

Why does it have "Liverpool" on the back when it's from a Wallasey company and built in Scotland?

I'm not being parochial - genuinely curious!

Radio Merseyside interview with the owner of the Royal Iris here (http://www.royaliris.co.uk/jegede.html)

Please sign the petition (http://www.royaliris.co.uk)

Thanks for the link to the owner speaking about his plans. Maybe he's playing a fast one here (or just thick as shit) but it doesn't sound as though he's giving out signals that he's hoping to sell her. If anything, I got the impression that he was angling for some Merseyside money to enable a fuller restoration to occur and in exchange we might get her for 3 months of the year. From what he said about his finances I suspect that he won't be able to maintain or renovate her in the long run and it will end up as one patch (bodge) job too many.

Maybe there's more going on behind the scenes in terms of negotiations about how much he might want to sell her? I have just looked at the group page on Facebook where I found this statement from the prospective buyer:

I have been on the phone to James today for just under an hour.

He has indicated he has no intention to sell the Royal Iris at this present moment. But has stated that he will consider my offers, after additional surveys have been carried out.

He also informed me, he has a team on board carrying out repairs on the hull. Apparently an ultra-sonic survey has been conducted on the Iris which has highlighted 10 weak points on the hull. So far the team have tackled 7 of them, 2 of which are inaccessible from inside or out. As he mentioned in his interview on radio Merseyside, they are unable to start any work on the exterior of her as permission has not been granted. (which I find strange as she is on a private berth)

As for her engines, Mr Jegedes has confirmed to me that they are still onboard and are beyond economical repair. This is due to both motor room and main engine room having been flooded many times before, and for long periods of time. He also confirmed this happened on two occasions while she was in Cardiff.

Mr Jegedes has many ideas for the Royal Iris and wouldalso like to see her back in full service. His main focus is he says,on the repairs of the hull. As soon as they are completed, a towing licence should be granted, and further works can then be carried out. He further mentioned her fit out, he believes there is very little that is salvable on board and would require a complete strip out and refit. There are a lot more details he mentioned which he would prefer not to be disclosed for the time being I will respect them.

There is one Question I have, which I have never been able to get to the bottom of. Why the Royal Iris??? She has no original connection to London apart from her brief Visit. Mr Jegedes has been paying out for her alleged upkeep for a number of years with very little progress. The London council have already indicated they will not grant any permission for a night club or casino. Everything I discussed with James today, echoed my plans (that have been voiced one way or another). He has had the Royal iris for a number of years and demonstrated his lack of interest.

There are many vessels for sale in a sea worthy condition. So as I say....

Why the royal iris?.

Why does it have "Liverpool" on the back when it from a Wallasey company and built in Scotland?

I'm not being parochial - genuinely curious!

Registration office was in Liverpool

UNESCO when awarding the Worl Heritage Site stated that Liverpool has historic docks but no historic ships.

Peel have filled in many docks that could hold such ships. The council are a disgrace for allowing such a situation, and should go ASAP.

Great work Dave.

UNESCO when awarding the Worl Heritage Site stated that Liverpool has historic docks but no historic ships.

Peel have filled in many docks that could hold such ships. The council are a disgrace for allowing such a situation, and should go ASAP.

It would be a great shame if you were, once again, allowed to hijack this very important, and for many, emotional issue with more of you unrelenting personal agenda.

You alienate many, many more people with your relentless agenda, spread out over pretty much every thread link on this site and multiple other sites (many of which you have been banned from)....regardless of how tenuous the link, than you bring around.

In short. Why don't you leave this one well alone you cuntish twat of a pest? Peel and your agenda have little to do with it.

Dave be very wary of this chap he's a horrible sectarian pest who in the past has made public predjudiced comments and has threatened violence on members of the site. If it weren't for the complete lack of moderation on this badly ran site he'd have been banned a long time ago....permenantly.

Thousands sign up to “Bring the Royal Iris Back Home”
Mar 19 2010
by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Echo

THOUSANDS of people signed up to a Facebook group bidding to ‘Bring the Royal Iris Back Home’.

The internet campaign was set up last month after the ECHO revealed the sad state of the vessel, where she is currently berthed on the River Thames in London.

She had been visited by the RNLI after being seen taking on water and resting on the riverbed, although the current owner has since carried out works to improve the former Mersey ferry’s condition.

However, despite this many people have joined the growing campaign to return the boat to the Mersey.

Colin Lloyd, one of those behind the Facebook campaign, said the numbers who had signed up online showed the determination of campaigners to see the boat back on Merseyside.

He said: “We have a lot of expertise in the people who have joined up and we have been talking with a businessman from the Wirral who said he would buy the boat if the owner will sell.”

By yesterday the Facebook group had 3,374 members with new people joining each day.

Last month a businessman from Wirral revealed he is trying to negotiate with the owner of the Royal Iris to buy the much-loved historic former ferry, known as the “fish and chip” boat and bring it back to Merseyside to be restored and brought back into use.

The Wirral businessman – who wishes to remain anonymous while negotiations continue – said he had been told the owner does not want to sell at the moment but insisted his offer still stands and remains hopeful a deal can be done.

Mr Lloyd said the campaigners were also talking with the owner of the ferry through the Facebook page and said: “Things are moving ahead, although we can’t say too much at the moment. But watch this space.”

Last month the crew of the lifeboat station in Gravesend were sent to the boat by police and London Coastguard officials.

They arrived to find water swamped up to the level of the deck. It is believed the vessel had been taking on water at every high tide as she sits on the mud.

Source: Liverpool Echo (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2010/03/19/thousands-sign-up-to-bring-the-royal-iris-back-home-100252-26064478/)

From Sue Cartwright

Mr Jegedes has given me some factual information in order to keep you up to date with proceedings.
As I have said, we chatted for over an hour and discussed a lot of things that we on the group site have been speculating about. Obviously a lot of the conversation is not for me to repeat at this time but here is what i can tell you...
He confirmed that he bought her just 24hrs before she was due to be scrapped. At this point he says she was already in London.
At the time he had no firm plans as to what he was going to do with her apart from the fact that he will be living on her, and this is what he did for a while.
He confirmed that the only reason she is in the state she is at the moment, came about when the owner of the berth changed and they lost the electric and water supply. He put “generators on board that would power a hotel if needed” and also huge batteries. He has been planning to take her in to dry dock for some time and has been hampered by the disrepair of the Hull.
He has confirmed that the Iris is NOT in any danger of sinking again, the only reason she sank in the first place was because someone that was working on her forgot to replace one of the plates when she was being worked on. He also said that the whole incident was over within an hour and a half or so from when she was first noticed by a passing vessel. At this time there is a little mud on board, this has to be taken off responsibly and disposed of in case it has become contaminated, he is adamant that it is not a problem and is contained to one small area.
He has confirmed that the PLA have NOT got any problems with her and do not see her as a hazard where she is at the moment and if anyone has been told different then it’s untrue.
He was at one point offered another berth for her but turned it down as it would have been too deep for her, taking into account the damage to the Hull if he had moved her and she had a problem then she would have sank without doubt, but at least where she is now she can not sink!
He advised he has a legitimate work force that are doing their best to work around the tides to get her in good enough repair to be able to tow her into dry dock. He has also go 24hr security.
Once in dry dock they will address the more serious repairs. He also stated that there will be no cosmetic work on the outside done until after the main repairs have been done.
He stands by what he said in his interview that he has not had any offers for the Iris. And he is not convinced that our business man would be in a position to follow up any purchase anyway. He has reiterated that he would not mind the Iris being back on the Mersey for 2-3 month of the year. He has no firm plans as to what will happen to her, but did indicate that he was not ready to sell her.
I am arranging to meet with our business man very soon to clarify some details and i will update you all furtherwhen this has taken place.

Thanks for your continued support, keep the stories coming in and above all KEEP THE FAITH. xx

:)

From Sue Cartwright

:)
Due to those running the facebook group, it has now become the lapdog of the owner. If you read between the lines in the statement from Sue, no questions were allowed to be asked. That is why I've always distanced myself from them.

Dear Mr Jegede.... (http://royaliris.co.uk/buddy/)