Providing total investment at the facility to over £2.3 million in the last two years, the Crown Estate has successfully finished an £800,000 programme of work at BMF member, Rhu Marina on the Firth of Clyde.
Aerial view of the Rhu Marina in Scotland
The Crown Estate’s Chief Executive Alison Nimmo visited Rhu on Friday 20 July to mark the completion of the work, and said: “This latest investment provides new state-of-the-art facilities for local customers and the wider boating community. It is part of our ongoing commitment to help the Scottish marine leisure sector grow, delivering benefit to the Scottish economy and to coastal communities around Scotland.”
The latest investment has replaced wooden-decked walkways and pontoons with more robust concrete-decked equipment, which follows last year’s investment of £1.49 million, which not only provided a new floating breakwater and toilet/shower block, but increased the number of berths from 189 to 249.
Varis Engineering, based at Forres in Moray, and Rollins Marine Services supplied the new marina equipment with installation carried out by GSS Marine Services, based at Rhu.
According to Tourism Intelligence Scotland, within the total leisure marine economic contribution of some £300 million, sailing tourism alone generated just over £100 million a year for the Scottish economy in 2011 – and this figure is expected to rise to £145 million by 2021.
Hugh Henderson of the Scottish Boating Alliance said: “The Crown Estate’s continued programme of investment in Rhu Marina is warmly welcomed.”
Mike Balmforth, President of British Marine Federation Scotland, added: “It is crucial that boating facilities around the Scottish coastline are improved and developed in order to ensure the marine tourism sector continues to grow.”
Simon Haigh, Managing Director of Quay Marinas, said: “Thanks to The Crown Estate’s investment, boats can now be berthed within the more sheltered areas of the marina during winter and the upgraded equipment will provide a more modern and robust pontoon system.”
