Despite a dire forecast nobody let the wind and rain dampen their spirits at this year’s Tidefest on Sunday. All the activities went ahead as planned at Kew Bridge, Barnes and Chiswick including kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, canoeing, river dipping and foreshore history walks.

Now in its 11th year Thames Tidefest is an celebration of the river whose future was in doubt until new sponsors stepped forward in the shape of the Port of London Authority (PLA). Tidefest began in 2014 as a coalition of volunteers from many river related organisations with the aim of increasing public awareness and appreciation London’s river as an environmental and recreational resource. It grew out of the desire to see a cleaner Thames with the successful Thames Tunnel Now campaign in favour of what is now the Thames Tideway Tunnel, which opened earlier this year. 

Special guests included Amy Croft (Mayor of Hounslow), Ruth Cadbury MP, Andy Slaughter MP and Cllr Gabriella Giles. This year’s event also showcased the In the Drink campaign, supported by the PLA, which aims to tackle scourge of plastic pollution in the Thames. 

The Tidefest Angling Championship run by the Angling Trust is London’s biggest angling competition and the catches give a good indication of the health of the river. With the Thames Tunnel now in operation intercepting sewage discharges from over 30 outfall points along the Tideway all eyes were on what the anglers could catch this year. The river fished extremely well with big catches of prime roach recorded throughout the match length in addition to dace, chub, bream, barbel, carp and even a couple of sea trout!

Lots of smaller species were collected in the nets including elvers, bass, mullet and flounder. 

Hammersmith and Chiswick MP Andy Slaughter said:

“ It was great to see so many people enjoying what our local stretch of the River Thames has to offer and being able to do so safely. A lot of effort has gone into cleaning it up and reducing pollution and from what I could see of the fish being caught by the anglers and collected in the river dipping trays, we have an improving wildlife corridor running through the heart of London. It was another great day out with Tidefest and I’m extremely grateful to the PLA for coming in to support this long standing and worthwhile event.”

Brentford and Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury added:

‘It was good to see In The Drink at Tidefest this year. I’m fully behind the campaign to replace single use plastic cups with reusable alternatives in an effort to reduce pollution and litter in our river. This is something that the PLA also strongly supports and it’s great to have them on board. However, I think we need to consider using a cup deposit system as there are still too many reusables not being returned and clogging up street bins and pavements and then finding their way into the river.”  

Emmeline Endresen, Impact and Partnerships Officer, Port of London Authority added:

“Tidefest is a wonderful local event that brings people together to celebrate the Thames and the unique role it plays in our community. As the organisation responsible for looking after the tidal river, the Port of London Authority is pleased to support Tidefest, which encourages people to explore, enjoy, and appreciate the river right on their doorstep.”