Go punting in the East End

Your author doesn't usually repeat other people's posts, but he noticed something over on Londonist yesterday which is definitely worth sharing here. Apparently an enterprising young student at Queen Mary and Westfield College has started hiring out punts on the Regent's Canal.


Nothing that new, you might think, but as we learn from Narrowboat World, these are the first punts to be licensed on the canal by British Waterways, so this is something quite special. For just a 21 year old, fourth-year medical student David Carruthers should be commended for his forward thinking attitude, for it was he who approached British Waterways, and he who set up the enterprise.

It seems to have caught the attention of a lot of press outlets, who are revelling in puns involving ample use of the word "punters". The punts are allowed to run between Mile End Lock, Old Ford Lock, and Top End Lock on the Hertford Union, and, we are told, are available daily, weather permitting, at £15 an hour during the week and £18 an hour between 1pm and 6pm on weekends. You can also hire a chauffeur for an extra £12. It sounds ace.

_{^Dodgy photoshop picture combination by the author using originals from Flickr courtesy of Tony Moorey and Gill Wildman^}