Aristocratic family supports Littlehampton fishermen

The four daughters of the late Bernard, Duke of Norfolk, Lady Anne, Lady Mary, Lady Sarah and Lady Jane, are said to have taken a “dim view” of Littlehampton Harbour Board’s treatment of commercial fishermen Danny Clark and Sean Hunter.

The sisters’ Angmering Park Estate owns the river bed on which the fishermen’s pontoon was fixed and their estate manager Nigel Draffan has criticised the board for putting the two men’s livelihoods at risk by demolishing the moorings at Railway Wharf.

Mr Draffan asked the board for proof that it owned the river bed where the mooring piles were driven in, and he also offered to repair the structure so that the men could continue to use it, but was met with a negative response by the board. “All I wanted was a face-to-face meeting to try to broker a solution whereby the fishermen could continue to have access to their moorings, which could be repaired, and their livelihoods would be safeguarded, but all we have had from the board is legality after legality,” he said.

Mr Draffan said he had made another request in writing 10 days ago, but had received no reply.

“It’s just made us feel enough is enough. We have given out so many olive branches and we have just had them pushed back in our face.

“We could be pretty difficult if we wanted to be with the harbour board. The way that Danny and Sean have been treated has made this a cause celebre for me.

“They have been brow-beaten by the board, but they are just simple fishermen and need someone to help them.”

He added: “The family, the four daughters, take a very dim view of what has happened. They are all aware of it.”

Mr Draffan said he accepted that, legally, the board could take action on the grounds of harbour safety. “But their whole attitude has clouded my approach to future dealings with them.

“They can’t do anything on the river bed without our agreement. Our title deeds for the river bed go back beyond the time of Magna Carta.

“If they were to come to us in future asking us for permission to drive piles into the river bed for new moorings or whatever, we will either charge them through the nose, or they can forget it.”

His warning could have repercussions for the board’s intention to develop Littlehampton as a leisure harbour, with many more pontoon moorings requiring piles to be driven into the river bed.

Mr Draffan said he suspected the eviction of the fishermen was a “smoke screen” to get rid of them so the board could progress with proposals to redevelop Railway Wharf.

Since they were evicted, the two fishermen have been using moorings at Littlehampton Marina, but insist they are unsuitable as a long-term solution for commercial fishing. Danny said that although the board claimed the moorings were dangerous, their own independent consultant declared the structure to be “safe”, although in need of some work that they were willing to carry out at their own expense.

In a statement, the board said: “The Littlehampton Harbour Board takes its responsibilities for harbour safety very seriously

“A report by consulting civil and structural engineers found that the staging at the former UMA wharf should be considered dangerous to both users and to navigation.

“The report recommended that access should be denied and that the area should be made safe by demolition of the staging.

“Alternative moorings for the fishermen are available within the harbour and have been discussed with the users of the staging over a number of months.

“The board is keen to ensure that harbour users are accommodated and that the board’s assets are used safely.”