Farndon Marina, a boating facility located on the River Trent in Nottinghamshire, is now available for sale for the first time in its history. The marina presents an opportunity for potential buyers in the leisure and marine industry, with over 300 berths set along a 25-acre countryside.
The marina’s current offerings include boat sales, repair and maintenance services and boat lifting. Over the years, Farndon Marina has continually expanded, with recent investments in technology to improve operations and customer experience. New owners would also inherit several development opportunities, such as the potential for a holiday park, motor home and touring caravan facilities, as well as the option to introduce floating lodges, pending the necessary planning permissions.
The marina features access to water and electricity points, parking with CCTV monitoring and 24-hour electronic barrier access. On-site amenities include toilets, showers, a launderette and Knots Bar. The marina also offers diesel and petrol and boasts spacious walkways for easy access to moored boats.
Farndon Marina has been under the ownership of the Ainsworth family since 1966, when local businessman Mark Ainsworth first acquired the site. Now managed by his son Paul and his wife Janet, the family has made numerous investments over the years to enhance the marina’s facilities and services. As Paul and Janet plan to retire, they have decided to pass the business on to new owners.
Christie & Co have been enlisted to sell Farndon Marina. Jon Patrick, Head of Leisure & Development at Christie & Co, who is overseeing the sale, highlights the increasing demand for marina properties across the United Kingdom and Europe. He anticipates strong interest in Farndon Marina from a wide range of prospective buyers.
“We’ve witnessed a marked uptick in the demand for both inland and coastal marina and boating businesses over the last two years. This has come from existing UK and European operators, as well as boating and marine enthusiasts and investors. However, we’ve also seen greater activity in the sector from owners of holiday parks and associated leisure hospitality businesses which share a number of similarities with marinas in terms of the underlying business model. In addition, this is a marina that has never been offered for sale on the open market before, and that in itself is a unique opportunity. As a result, we anticipate that interest in Farndon Marina will come from a diverse range of potentially interested parties.”
Farndon Marina’s sale marks the end of an era for the Ainsworth family, who have built a thriving business over several decades. With its location, extensive facilities and development potential, it represents an opportunity for investors in the marina and leisure industries. The sale of the property is expected to attract considerable interest and is set to open a new chapter for the East Midlands boating destination.
