Specialist leisure property adviser Christie & Co has been instructed to market Farndon Marina, for the first time in its history.
Located on the River Trent near Newark in Nottinghamshire, Farndon Marina has been owned by the same family since 1966, when the 25-acre freehold site was originally purchased and developed by local businessman and boating enthusiast Mark Ainsworth.
Over the decades that followed, the business evolved and expanded, and today Farndon Marina is owned and operated by Mark’s son Paul and his wife Janet who, after a lifetime of working within the business, are looking to retire and pass the reigns to new owners.
The marina comprises over 300 private berths and moorings, with berthing fees and chandlery sales forming the backbone of the business, together with boat sales brokerage and marine services, which incorporates repair, maintenance and boat lifting.
Recent investments have been made in technology to improve day-to-day operations, site security, and enhance the customer experience, as well as the development of amenity buildings including workshops, visitor facilities and office space.
Farndon Marina presents several development opportunities for a new owner, including the development of holiday park, motor home and touring caravan facilities, extending the boat brokerage business, and the potential to introduce floating lodges (subject to the necessary planning permissions).
Farndon Marina Managing Director Paul Ainsworth said: “Since my father passed away over 16 years ago, Janet and I have continued as custodians of this incredible business. We have consistently invested in improving the facilities and customer experience, and have a fantastic team, who are and will continue to be great assets to the marina.
“We too are at that time in our lives where it makes sense to pass the reigns to new owners. I’ve been contacted many times over the years asking if we would sell, and so this tremendous opportunity now becomes a reality.”
Jon Patrick, Head of Leisure & Development at Christie & Co, who is overseeing the sale process, added: “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 interest parties.”
