Family-run marina hits the market as owners sail into retirement

Farndon Marina, a boating facility on the River Trent near Newark, is now on the market for the first time in its history.

Christie & Co has been instructed to market Farndon Marina, which has been owned and operated by the same family since 1966.

Located on the River Trent near Newark in Nottinghamshire, the 25-acre freehold site was originally purchased and developed by local businessman and boating enthusiast Mark Ainsworth.

Today, the marina is run by Mark’s son, Paul, and his wife Janet, who have spent their entire careers in the business.

After decades of working in the marina, the couple is now looking to retire and pass the business on to new owners.

Over the years, Farndon Marina has expanded to include over 300 private berths and moorings, with revenue generated from berthing fees, chandlery sales, boat sales brokerage and marine services such as repairs and maintenance.

The business has also seen recent investments in technology to streamline operations, improve security, and enhance the customer experience.

New amenity buildings, including workshops, visitor facilities, and office spaces, have also been developed on-site.

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 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 several 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.”