venture quays

Businesses told Open Day at Venture Quays can’t go ahead (updated)

An Open Day planned at Venture Quays has been cancelled, after landlords HCA have told businesses they cannot hold it.

Venture Quays was planning an open day on 14th November to celebrate the launch of a new vessel, and “raise awareness of the valuable contribution that Venture Quays makes to East Cowes along with its historic heritage”.

However, a notice has just been posted on the Save Venture Quays Facebook Group stating,

I am afraid that I have to announce the CANCELLATION OF THE VENTURE QUAYS OPEN DAY.

We have been informed by the agents of the Housing and Communities Agency (the landlord) that the open day can not go ahead.

The reasons are contractual and HSE related. We have not been given the opportunity to address how we would have been able to satisfy requirements of HSE at the site for the two hours of the open day.

We will enter into dialogue with the agents and hopefully the HCA and will endeavor to have an open day in the near future.

HCA: Public safety first priority
A spokesperson from the HCA told OnTheWight,

“As owners of this site our first priority has to be public safety. Neither ourselves nor the property managers were made aware of this event and we need to be certain that safety has been properly considered given the number of people that could attend.

“Our property managers are meeting the organisers to discuss how their businesses can best be promoted.”

The open day was planned to raise awareness of the businesses using the deep water area ahead of determination of a planning application for the expansion of the Red Funnel terminal and East Cowes Regeneration.

Article edit
Comment from HCA added 15.36pm

Image: davidcjones under CC BY 2.0