Kayak hire suspended after lifeboat changes

A self-service kayak hire company has paused operations in a coastal town at the request of a council.

Kayakomat had been offering rentals from a unit in Sheringham, Norfolk, but North Norfolk District Council said it was reassessing its health and safety documentation due to a change at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) locally.

In January, the RNLI suspended its service in the area after the cliff behind its station became unstable.

Kayakomat said it was working with the council "to ensure that all of their additional needs are met" with safety "as the top priority".

A spokesperson for the council said: "We have been made aware of some local safety concerns regarding the location of Kayakomat at Sheringham.

"While consent for this operation was granted over a year ago, the operator has only recently sited their unit in Sheringham.

"In light of recent changes to the RNLI provision in the area, we are in the process of reassessing the operator's health and safety documentation.

"In the meantime, we have requested that the operator suspends kayak hire from the stand."

The Swedish company, which has branches across Europe, allowed customer to rent the kayaks online 24-7.

The hire includes a life jacket, which is mandatory to wear, and customers are asked to paddle with others and stay close to the shore.

Brendon Prince from Above Water, a charity that promotes the safe use of inland and coast waterways, said kayaking was a difficult skill and a combination of strong currents and winds and rapidly changing weather conditions could push inexperienced people out to sea far more rapidly then expected.

"There is very little responsibility either from the kayak provider or [the customer] to understand that conditions can change when you're out on the water and they can be incredibly dangerous," he said.

Kayakomat key account manager Malin Arnesson said "all customers must read and accept our safety guidelines before they can make their reservation".

An RNLI spokesperson said: "While all search and rescue activity at Sheringham RNLI was temporarily suspended in January... other RNLI support locally remains in place and has even been enhanced in light of that.

"In well-practiced plans, lifeboat cover for the coastline is provided by groups of stations – volunteers always work together, beyond individual station boundaries, to provide cover for larger sections of coast all around the UK and Ireland."

Wells RNLI and regional staff were supporting the Sheringham lifeboat team, the spokesperson said.

They urged all kayakers to wear a lifejacket, check weather conditions before departure and carry a device to call for help if needed.

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