GESPONSORD ARTIKEL
On the banks of the River Crouch in rural Essex lies the village of North Fambridge. A peaceful hamlet; a popular commuter town with London less than an hour away by direct train; a village whose pub dates back over two centuries; offering scenic riverside walks which pass the famous Blue House Farm nature reserve; and, perhaps surprisingly, one of the marina industry leaders in embracing sustainability.
In recent years, Fambridge Yacht Haven have explored and initiated new ways to protect their waterways and to safeguard neighbouring habitats. “As custodians, we’re responsible for maintaining and preserving our marinas, ensuring our coastal areas are future-proofed for generations to come”, comments Marina Director Danyal Adams. “We’ve listened to what our customers and the marine industry are saying about making marina operations more sustainable, so we are introducing real projects that deliver positive impacts”.
Real projects that deliver positive impacts
Fambridge Yacht Haven is surrounded by green farmland and saltmarshes including the critically important Blue House Farm nature reserve which is a designated Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the volume of migratory birds flocking to the site throughout the seasons. The Yacht Haven’s position as ‘custodian’ is therefore heightened by the sensitivities of the stunning River Crouch.
The first step in the Yacht Haven’s journey was a commitment of zero waste to landfill, sealed with a partnership with Essex firm Green Recycling including converting non-recyclable waste into pellets to be sold as fuel to power plants. In 2024, over 60,000kg of waste was saved from landfill! Next, two state-of-the-art interceptor tanks were installed, designed to ensure oils, paint fragments and other materials are prevented from re-entering the river when boats are lifted ashore. “This system not only filters the water used when washing boats, it also collects water to effectively recycle it, thus reducing our water wastage”, Danyal explains.
20 Years of Development
Fambridge Yacht Haven first opened in 1973 before Yacht Havens Group (of Lymington and Largs Yacht Haven amongst seven others) purchased the site in 2004, intent on transforming the destination into one of the East Coast’s prime boating hubs.
Under Yacht Havens’ ownership, critical investments were made across the site in the 2010s; a new marina dredger was purchased, the slipway was widened and a Park & Launch service was ‘launched’, a full tide visitor pontoon was installed, an indoor boat storage hangar was built, and monthly and winter contracts were introduced.
The much-loved riverside pub, The Ferry Boat Inn, also came under the ownership of Yacht Havens to protect it from disappearing, and a major refurbishment in 2020 combined the pub’s 16th century character with 21st century comfort and space.
Fast forward to 2024/25 and it was time for the marina itself to receive substantial investment and upgrades. Gone went the old steel pontoons along with original marina piles; in came new piles, bridges, pontoons, and a floating tender pontoon to service the 120 swinging river moorings.
For more information or to request a berthing enquiry, visit yachthavens.com/fambridge