It’s been a busy six months since Marina Projects took over the running of Whitehaven Marina in April this year on the far side of the Irish Sea. They have invested over £50,000 in improvements to the Marina, which have included electrical and safety checks, pontoon repairs, new signage, painting, cleaning and tidying.
The staff have also moved to temporary offices on Bulwark Quay and a new marina management computer system has been installed. In addition a new boat has been purchased which will enable staff to easily collect any rubbish floating in the marina.
Three new jobs have been created in the last few months, taking the total number of people employed at the Marina to 14. The new members of staff are: Tony Taylor, Marina Supervisor; Alan Finlay, Yard Hand; and Lorraine Dandy, Facilities Attendant. A new dock master is also due to start shortly.
Mark Bowden, Operations Director, also expects additional jobs will be created when tenants move into the recently completed boat yard shed. He commented: “We are in discussions with a number of organisations, who have expressed interested in leasing space in the new boat shed and I’m sure new local jobs will be created when tenants move in.”
Simone Morgan has worked at Whitehaven Marina for 9 years, starting as Administrative Assistant in 2000 and gradually working her way up to her present position as Marina Manager. Speaking about her time at the Marina she commented:
“I love being part of the small close-knit team; there’s a great atmosphere here at the Marina and we work well together. It’s important to me to feel part of something and have the opportunity to grow the business. The marina is very much of the heart of the town and I enjoy the variety each day brings, I can be welcoming a new berth holder one minute and discussing the winter maintenance programme for the Sea Lock the next.”
Over the last 6 months the marina has seen an increase in the number of leisure and commercial vessels using the marina. The marina office staff have signed up 13 new annual berth holders and a number of commercial boat operators are now using Whitehaven as their base instead of Workington, because of the improved new access and facilities here at the Marina. Commercial vessels serving the Robin Rigg wind farm are regular visitors to the marina.
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