Skipton town centre leaders have sought to reassure the boating community after claims that young criminals were turning the Leeds-Liverpool Canal into a “no go area”.

The town council and Chamber of Trade have joined forces to play down reports that canal boat owners have begun spurning Skipton after being targeted by teenage hooligans.

The rebuttals came after one of the main organisers of the town’s annual Waterways Festival, Pamela Clarke, said boat owners had told her they were fearful of stopping in Skipton because of trouble from local youths.

And she said victims were reluctant to make reports to police for fear of reprisals.

Her comments came in the wake of moves to mount high-visibility police patrols on the canal towpath to combat crimes that have included narrowboats being cast adrift, vandalism and a spate of thefts from decks.

But Dave Parker, chief officer of Skipton Town Council, said negative perceptions of the canal in Skipton were unjustified. “We are very concerned that the impression is being given that every boat stopping off in Skipton will be subjected to attacks from so-called ‘thugs’,” he said.

“Clearly this is most definitely not the case and to brand Skipton as a no-go area is, frankly, ludicrous and blowing the situation out of all proportion.

“There have been a number of isolated incidents and, unfortunately, even a small number of such reports can do serious harm to Skipton’s economy.

“The problem needs to be dealt with and I am sure our colleagues in the police will have this in hand – and the town council will do everything it can to assist.”

Joan Evans, president of Skipton Chamber of Trade and Commerce, echoed Mr Parker’s comments.

“A few isolated incidents should not put off visitors coming to the town,” she said.

Mrs Clarke, a director of Skipton’s Pennine Cruises, had told the Herald last month: “Canal boat owners obviously talk to each other and their message is, ‘Don’t stop in Skipton, you’ll get trouble from local kids’.”

Last week, she said there had been no further trouble for the last couple of weeks. “It’s been really quiet, but we don’t know whether that’s been down to the weather,” she said.

“We’re hoping the message is getting across that the police are taking action and young criminals risk getting caught.”

Boating enthusiasts Sue and Sam Marriott, who have a permanent mooring in the town, have contacted the Herald to say out-of-town revellers arriving by train, as well as local youths, had caused problems for the boating fraternity.

Mr Marriott said: “We totally support the views expressed by Mrs Clarke. Over the past 12 months, the situation on the Leeds and Liverpool canal has become steadily worse.

“We have been cut adrift, had fireworks thrown onto the boat and had youths jumping on and off. We reported these incidents to the police who responded efficiently. However, these ‘purges’ only last a limited time.

“Throughout last year we were approached by boaters from Cheshire and the Midlands, many deciding to shun Skipton and cruise through rather than risk their much-loved craft being vandalised.

“We have cruised the Leeds and Liverpool canal for over 30 years and feel saddened that it has come to this. We only hope a solution can be found and that it is not put down to a ‘sign of the times’.”

A spokeswoman for British Waterways, which owns the canal between Silsden and Gargrave, said it was not aware of any serious problems for boaters in Skipton, compared to other known trouble spots.