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MARINA FOCUS UNIVERSAL MARINA
ALL AT SEA AUGUST 2022
Premier Universal Marina Crableck Lane, Sarisbury Green Southampton SO31 7ZN Tel: 01489 574 272 Marina reception is open 7am-7pm daily Email: universal@premiermarinas.com Marina Manager – Graham Bristowe
All images: Charlie Ross
With Premier Marinas’ acquisition of Universal Marina completed just over a year ago it is a good time to find out what has been happening at this River Hamble marina since that time. In the months since Universal joined the Premier family the team has been working to assess how they can enhance the marina for the future. It is a busy marina with more than 250 wet berths, a 130 capacity dry stack and full-service boatyard with a hoist to lift boats up to 75 tonnes. The site extends to more than 26 acres of beautiful countryside along the banks of the River Hamble with mud flats, marsh
and meadows all providing a rich habitat for wildlife. A neighbouring donkey sanctuary also adds to the rural feel. Keen to protect and enhance wildlife around the marina, the team has been developing a detailed site management plan, working closely with Fareham Borough Council and other local specialists, and an audit has been completed to identify and protect many important natural assets around the site.
The marina’s reception and dry stack
The boatyard team at work
INVESTMENT IN FACILITIES
Taking on an established marina is no small task and Premier has invested well over £150k in the last 12 months in new machinery including a forklift, tractor and boat mover to assist with the seven-day operations of the boatyard and dry stack. Work to upgrade the electricity supply is currently underway which will enable berth holders to manage their own electricity via the Premier app. The upgrade will also facilitate installation of high-speed WiFi later this summer, a key feature which was missing from the site previously. Improved lighting and safety equipment are already in place, and the installation of solar PV panels will follow in the next couple of months, supporting Premier’s group-wide drive to reduce its carbon footprint. The panels will be mounted on existing buildings within the marina and is similar to schemes already used at all other Premier sites. New berth holder showers and facilities are also planned to ensure that these fully reflect the marina group’s wider standards for the future.
