Farndon Marina up for sale with leisure property adviser Christie & Co as owners looking to retire

For the first time in its history, Farndon Marina has been put up for sale as the current owners are looking to retire.

The longstanding family business on the River Trent is being brought to market by specialist leisure property adviser Christie & Co, who describe it as “one of the finest boating facilities in the region”.

Located just a few miles down the river from Newark, the marina has been owned by the same family since 1966, when boating enthusiast Mark Ainsworth bought and developed the the 25-acre site.

Over the decades, the business evolved and expanded, and was passed down to Mark’s son Paul Ainsworth and his wife Janet.

However, after a lifetime of working within the family business, the couple are looking to retire and pass the reigns on to new owners.

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.”

The marina itself comprises over 300 private berths and moorings, with berthing fees and chandlery sales forming the backbone of the business.

Boat sales brokerage and marine services also operate, 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.

Property experts suggest the well-established business 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.

Jon Patrick, head of leisure and development at Christie & Co, said: “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.”