WHEN the sun shines, even Brunner Mond's Wallerscote works look beautiful.

Looking across the Weaver Valley, the chemical factory, framed by drooping branches and the twinkling waters of the Trent and Mersey Canal, represents an industrial age founded on the success of Britain's waterways.

It stands opposite the Anderton Boat Lift, a unique testament to the golden era of British engineering.

Now, over 120 years later, the lift stands derelict, waiting for salvation from the Lottery.

Ironically, a decision on an application for Lottery money to refurbish the lift is due in the next month just as the Government is planning to overhaul the way waterways are run.

A re-opened boat lift is crucial to the development of Northwich's tourism industry and uncertainty could be bad for business.

"We would want to stress that tourism is a major plank in our future economic growth," said Vale Royal's tourism chief Andrea Peattie.

"The upkeep and promotion of the waterways is key to our tourism industry. The waterways almost form a spine across the borough."

Both the Government and British Waterways, who currently run most of the country's 2,000 miles of canals, remain tight-lipped about their plans.

But neither have ruled out franchising or privatisation. It would involve different companies having the chance to buy different waterways, along the lines of the privatisation of British Rail.

"We are discussing a number of options, including franchising the waterways and keeping them in the public sector," admitted a Government spokesman. "No decisions have been taken yet. These are the options which are being discussed."

Change was first suggested two years ago when groups like the Trent and Mersey Canal Society were asked to comment on the way waterways were being run.

According to the society's Chairman, Geoff Williamson, most people wanted to keep the canals in the public sector as a kind of charitable trust.

"Our society supported the trust option, and I think virtually everybody else did," he said. "I'm given to understand that British Waterways themselves favour that option," he said.

Since then there has been little public consultation.

But two months ago, the Inland Waterways Association claimed to have found out, appropriately enough from a leak, that the Government was in favour of franchising.

The association wrote to Angela Eagle, who at the time was Minister for Canals and urged her not to sell off Britain's waterways a plan they claim was prompted by the Treasury's attempts to cut costs.

"We do know that the Government has a number of possible plans for selling off British Waterways," said Richard Drake, Deputy Chairman of the Inland Waterways Association.

"I think it probably stems from the Treasury which objects to spending £50 million on British Waterways every year because there is no tangible reward."

The Inland Waterways Association fears privatisation would give businessmen the chance to buy up the most beautiful stretches of water, sell of valuable land and allow unpopular canals to fall into disrepair.

It claims privatisation could result in big charges for boaters and restricted access to waterfronts ripe for commercial development.

But not everyone shares the association's concerns. Geoff Williamson doesn't think that privatisation would necessarily change things that much.

"When franchising is mentioned, the waterways fraternity tends to throw up its arms," he said.

"The problem at the moment is that it's something which not too many people are looking at from an unbiased point of view.

"Personally I don't happen to automatically take the view that franchising or privatisation, call it what you will, would be a bad thing.

"I have great faith in the current batch of British Waterways staff. There isn't any doubt that they've been more businesslike, certainly over the last 10 years.

"There isn't any doubt that if the Government could get rid of its annual bill, it would be happy to do so."

Few doubt that some kind of change is coming, and most people want a shake-up.

The Inland Waterways Association wants the Government to strengthen the rights of the users.

They want boaters to have the chance to buy a single permit, giving them access to the whole of the country's waterways network.

"Franchising is going in the opposite direction and that in itself causes us a lot of alarm," added Mr Drake.

Geoff Williamson says rumours of reform are rife on towpaths up and down the country.

"I'm actually convinced there will be change," he said. "It may not be immediate, but certainly I think things will change."

A shake-up can't come soon enough for Stan Rowan.

He moved to Rudheath over a decade ago and has run Orchard Marine for the past 10 years.

"Whatever happens will be a good thing, provided the network is run properly and not left for people to try and make as much as they can out of it," he said.

"The canal system is an antique. It acts as a natural drainage system for two thirds of the country. Whoever runs it has to appreciate that the canal system is 200 years old.

"The best way thing that could happen would be a kind of management buy out. That would everybody could have a share and have some kind of responsibility.

"We have got to bring the canal system into the 20th century. It's a great asset and it could be used a lot better than it is."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.