Ryde Rowing Regatta off as Southern Water mends sinkhole

The event, planned for Saturday, was already long-delayed due to the impact of Covid-19.

The club is based at Appley, where work is ongoing to fix a collapsed sewer.

Major repair work by Southern Water has been underway since a sinkhole first appeared in January.

• Southern Water reveals its plan for the Ryde sinkhole

The work, filmed in March.

A huge overground pipe, diverting the main sewer for the area, is in place on the seafront.

Appley car park is closed and plans to create a temporary summer replacement park and ride at Simeon Rec were scrapped, last month.

Ryde Rowing Club says it is among those to face disruption, saying it has faced a 'considerable loss' in income.

It says it is seeking compensation from the utility firm.

The sinkhole that appeared in January, near the beach huts at Appley, has led to two huge shafts being dug out on Ryde seafront, so teams can fix the pipe.

In April, Southern Water told the County Press that it was in talks with a number of impacted groups and organisations.

Ryde Rowing Club is one of the Isle of Wight's oldest sports clubs and was created in 1877.

Its clubhouse in Appley Park provides boat storage, a training area, changing facilities with showers, licensed bar and function rooms. 

Throughout the year, the clubhouse usually hosts social events and is hired out for parties, weddings, meetings and conferences. 

It has been suggested Southern Water's sewer repair work will need to continue until the autumn.

The pipe outside the rowing club's clubhouse and (below) the work in April.