Ryde Harbour could be rebranded to ‘Ryde Marina’ when it changes hands next year, as part of ambitious plans.
Ryde Town Council (RTC) and the harbour’s current owner, the Isle of Wight Council (IWC), are currently in negotiations.
If talks are successful, which is likely, RTC will take over control and add the harbour to its property and investment portfolio.
The town council has now published its 5-year business plan, outlining where it would take the harbour’s future and how it will continue to grow beachfront hire facilities.
A new marina webcam is proposed, along with a new website giving weather information, tide heights and a visitor booking system.
New pontoons will be installed, increasing the total number of berths to 130. Electricity will be supplied to the berths to increase visitor income and replace the current noisy generators.
Short-term parking for berth holders is also being proposed, with a card entry system for access.
At a cost of around £125,000, the town council is proposing to move the harbour office and install more facilities, like showers and toilets, to accommodate the summer visitors and berth holders.
The town council says rebranding the harbour as ‘Ryde Marina’ will allow it to have ‘a new start’, drawing a line under the old ownership. It says it will mean it can stamp its own identity, values and customer service, from the start.
Discussions continue, but Ryde Town Council could become the new owner on 1st April 2022.
April the first, A perfect day to take over this joke of an enterprise.
Delusions of Grandeur!!!!
Ryde Town Council love spending money!
Property portfolio as previously said finish what you’ve started 1st ……
Pointless having a marina where the tidal flow is only useable for a few hours.
Needed to be built to the side of the pier where water flow allows the movement of shipping for longer periods.
Turn this into a salt water swimming pool, no need for boyancy supports as the discarded bags of dog business will no doubt suffice along with other assorted rubbish.
Waste of money, which is what such people do when it is not their money they are spending.
Council ignoring the obvious pitfalls. So they can build an empire, by milking local tax payers.
Good to see all the glass half empty people again could be worse they could build a floating housing estate.
Maybe that is what the council want. Sell it for house boats.
Don’t forget your council tax pays the town council’s money!!! See how much your council tax goes up by next year !!!!!!
And see how smug you feel then ??????
There are plenty of other areas on the island thatoney needs to be spent on instead of a massive half baked portfolio !!!!
Wow what a monumental waste of money for the few not the many.
If successful (and most marinas are) then it will be making money for the many from the few.
if it was a money spinner it wouldn’t be falling into council hands
Pointless “harbour”. No water in it for quite a bit of the time. Don’t boats need water to float?
Ryde Town Council keeps spending large sums of money – where has all this come from? Genuine query
No mention of the fact that many of the original berths are unuseable thanks to the re-routiong of the Monkton Mead outflow. Ryde is not a destination for the affluent. There is nothing here to attract them. Do not waste even more of our council tax on this silt pit.
So Ryde Town Council are spending our money without asking us first, it sure is about time they asked Ryde residents where our money should be spent