River Avon marina to host opening ceremony
Shakespeare Marina on the River Avon in Stratford-upon-Avon will be welcoming dignitaries and boaters to its opening ceremony on 27 May 2022.
This new 250-berth, state-of-the-art marina will be officially opened by actor Timothy West, who is a patron of the Avon Navigation Trust. He is also a great canal boat enthusiast and has filmed ten series of Channel 4’s Great Canal Journeys with his wife Prunella Scales.
Shakespeare Marina is one of six marinas developed by Geomac Limited and constructed by the Land & Water Group.
Celebrations will begin with West boarding Lily, an Edwardian river launch in Stratford, and sailing down the River Avon to Shakespeare Marina. As Lily sails under the marina’s towpath bridge, West will cut a ribbon to symbolise the opening.
“We are delighted to be welcoming Timothy West together with local dignitaries, boating enthusiasts and the local community to the opening of Shakespeare Marina,” says Neil Warren of inland marina developer Geomac Limited.
“Marinas are about people, not just boats and we are proud to have worked alongside Land & Water Services and the Avon Navigation Trust to create a first-class, exclusive, leisure boat marina that provides customers the chance to moor their boats in a prestigious location and popular tourist destination,” says Warren. “It is truly set to be a spectacular and memorable day and we are very much looking forward to seeing everyone who can make it.”
Set in a rural location beside the River Avon, Shakespeare Marina is close to the centre of Stratford, and provides access to the Avon Ring and the national canal network.
The marina has a wide range of modern facilities, including a shower block with laundry, a service quay with fuel and pump out, plus service pedestals for water and electricity for each berth. The basin is designed to look like a natural water body. It is complemented by floating jetties, which will rise with any change in water levels, with non-slip decking.
The marina has been designed and built using sustainable solutions, such as the re-use of spoil material and recycled steel piles to minimise waste, reducing its carbon footprint.
