Clare Weller

Clare Weller - Communications manager Broads authority
Pondering on how life was then, and today

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In 1926 a fortnight’s holiday for three men on a Broads river cruiser including food, beer and the cost of a few hot baths at local inns came to exactly £22.

I know this because I have spent the past few weeks’ spare time poring over a diary belonging to my husband’s grandfather Jack Bergh, who spent part of his summer break from medical college trying to gain mastery of the 21ft yacht ‘Naiad’ in these fair waters.

He and two fellow students set sail from Norwich and, through fair weather and foul, enjoyed many adventures all duly logged in fading fountain pen and accompanied by tiny black and white photographs. It details how the novice trio tore their mainsail while hoisting it on day one, fell in several times while lowering the mast and had to tow the boat for three miles after being becalmed.

Reading this delightful log has got me thinking about the changes – and similarities – between Broads holidays then and now. A group of 21-yearold lads today might find their predecessors’ principle sources of evening enjoyment rather tame - fishing, reading, writing and listening to a gramophone they had taken with them (the iPod of its day, I suppose, but very much more cumbersome and destined to break before the holiday was over).

Having said that, like young men before and since, they weren’t averse to visiting the local hostelries and enjoying the occasional ale (mainly Worthington but also a local brew called Stingo described as ‘venomous’).

I’m relieved that a Broads holidaymaker today would find their vessel better equipped than the Naiad which seems to have had little more than a tin bowl, some small plates and blankets that were ‘alive’ with fleas, necessitating the timely use of ‘chemical warfare’.

And what a difference it would have made if there had been some visitor information centres back then. More than a week after setting out Jack writes: “The fact remains that the “broads” are conspicuous by their absence” - the bewildered trio had sailed from Norwich to Oulton Broad without ever digressing from the River Yare.

These days local information shouldn’t be an issue. Hire boat companies and many local businesses have bulging leaflet racks and knowledgeable staff willing to help people make the most of their time here. The Broads Authority is focussing on three main hubs this year – at Hoveton, How Hill and Whitlingham with boat trips at each site to help visitors explore.

Plans are also afoot to improve the information facilities at our yacht stations at Great Yarmouth, Norwich and Reedham as well as working with partners to continue to provide information at Beccles, Ranworth and Potter Heigham even though government cuts mean we can no longer staff offices there ourselves.

I read in the Guardian that nationally scores of local authority information centres have shut amid the cuts, and the message is “adapt or die” as more and more people turn to the internet for their holiday information.

Manchester apparently bucks the trend with 1,000 visitors a day. It boasts a clothing line by rock singer Noel Gallagher, merchandise from the local football clubs and the latest Microsoft technology.

I’m not advocating such a drastic change of direction in Broads centres but I am delighted that some timely European funding means we’ll shortly be introducing exciting new technology. This includes touchscreens at Hoveton and Whitlingham with masses of information about Broads wildlife and habitats, and an augmented reality programme for How Hill which uses mobile phone technology to guide you around Buttles Marsh.

I digress. What has not changed from 1926 to the present day is the unique and special quality of the Broads as a destination - and its welcome.

Jack’s diary describes the natives as “astonishingly good natured and kind and charming to talk to”. He says: “This cruise is like a deep dream of peace after our somewhat hectic days in London, to which we are quite dreading our return.” I do hope all holidaymakers continue to share that view for many, many years to come.