Celebrating 75 Years of Standard Where They Could Be Let Once Again
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boatyard from the followed the next year by the Rank Organisation. Church Farm public house Unfortunately, and restaurant. In 2006, the cruisers had Richardson’s took ownership deteriorated both of Lowestoft Family Bowl, History structurally and now known as Richardson’s mechanically, and Family Entertaiment Centre. Robert Richardson with sons Clive and Paul major work was The Hog in Armour was the needed to restore group’s final purchase before Richardson’s Family Entertainment Centre the fleet to its former glory. As a result, of the original 244 Richardson’s divested itself of cruisers sold alongside the boatyard in 1974, only 54 cruisers all of the public houses in 2014 and began to focus more closely were of acceptable standard to hire that Easter. It took Mr. on its boating and holiday parks operations. With this also came Richardson 3 to 4 years to restore the entire fleet to such a the acquisition of Fineway day boat operation in Wroxham. Celebrating 75 Years of standard where they could be let once again. Over the next few years, other sites were purchased, such Richardson’s in the present day as a small building site in Stalham High Street (which is now At Richardson’s today we still deliver great value holiday in let as light industrial units, as is the site at Catfield). In 1986, Norfolk and the Broads National Park. Richardson’s Boating Holidays! we purchased the Horning boatyard, once again from the Rank Organisation, which was formerly known as “Caribbean We currently operate nearly 300 inland motor cruisers from Cruisers” and is now known as Horning Marina and carries out our Marina at Stalham, we hire our Far Horizon cruiser and Loathing, in addition private boat work. complete private marine work at our Horning Marina, we also 2019 marks to the original Old have a fleet of day craft available for hire from our Wroxham Mill House Boatyard, From here, the operation grew, with the purchase of 3 boatyards Marina. the 75th the Richardsons’ fleet on the River Thames originally known as “Maidboats”, each needed more room. In renamed to “Benson Pleasurecraft”, “Maidline Cruisers” and On water however anniversary of this time, Mr Richardson “Ferryline Cruisers” respectively. Then, “Hearts Cruisers” our story doesn’t just Junior had also taken boatyard in Thorpe Saint Andrew was purchased from the stop with holidays, we Richardson’s, over the reigns – and Mowatt Group in 1992. With the acquisition of all of these yards are also boat builders. a name that for many has so, he began looking as well as individual cruisers, the fleet rose to around 750 boats! At Richardson’s we become synonymous with for bigger boatyards for build and release 3 next the Broads. Our story is one the growing fleet in the generation hire cruisers that spans many years, from northern part of the A ‘New Horizon’ - holiday parks Commander such as the Commander Mr. Richardson’s great-great-Grandfather, Mr Robert Kemp, Broads. With the purchase of both Mundesley Holiday Centre on the (pictured) per year. With who owned and ran the Lady of the Lake public house in Oulton North Norfolk coast as well as Brightstone Holiday Centre on Commander’s 6 and 7 Broad, up until the present day where Mr Richardson’s sons, In 1957, after Mr. Robert’s sister, Joy, with Robert Richardson Snr the Isle of Wight in 1993, Richardson’s began a new venture into currently scheduled for Paul and Clive, still live and work within this beautiful playground Richardson’s mother land-based holidays. Sadly, just over 2 years later a fire destroyed release in 2019 and an for all whilst keeping the Richardson’s name alive and well in Dora had seen an Brightstone, which was one of oldest holiday centres in England, exciting new project our the Broads National Park. Whilst Richardson’s roots are firmly advert for an auction, the Brightside Guest House in Stalham – bringing an end to 60 years of catered holidays. boat building team will planted within the Broads, our boat hiring operation began in now known and loved as Richardson’s Boating Holidays - was certainly be very busy! 1944 alongside Mr Richardson’s father, Mr. Robert Richardson purchased. In the winter of 1957 and 1958, Mr Richardson In 1996, Richardson’s purchased Hemsby Beach Holiday Village Senior. began the task of moving the entire business, including the fleet (known today as Hemsby Beach Holiday Park), closely followed However it’s not all of hire cruisers, to Stalham where the hire fleet would be let in by the Savoy Holiday Village on the Isle of Wight. In 1998, about the Broads! Mr Robert Richardson Snr purchased his very first motor the Spring of 1958. Richardson’s also purchased the Pontins site adjacent to Hemsby We also have land based operations. We have two family cruiser, “Mac Nab”, from C Paget-Clark – and so began Beach Holiday Village, Seacroft Holiday Village. entertainment centres Caesars Arcade Hemsby and Richardson’s Richardson’s many years of holiday hire in the Broads National Here, Richardson’s boat building programme began. Over the Family Entertainment Centre, featuring a 14 lane glow bowling Park. 1944 also saw Mr. Richardson Senior and his son (and next 15 years the fleet increased and extra plots of marsh were In 1998, the company made a further purchase – Summerfields alley, in Lowestoft. Last but not least we have Hemsby Beach our present owner) Mr. acquired around the original Stalham site creating the largest Holiday Village in Scratby, formerly owned by Haven holidays, Holiday Park located in the seaside resort of Hemsby, our Richardson Junior buy boatyard on the whole of the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads – which and another in 1999, South Downs Holiday Village, also a former Holiday Park boast over 400 letting units, an entertainment their first boatyard, Old we still proudly maintain to this day! Pontins site. complex and a leisure complex with indoor swimming pool. Mill House Boatyard, in Oulton Broad. Here, Mr. In 1969, Aquafibre Limited was created, and Mr. Richardson We’ve recently just concluded a major stage in a multi-million Richardson Senior let owned a 30% share of the company, which built fibreglass boats The Millennium pound investment project for the park at Hemsby during row boats, sailing boats for our Stalham fleet. Eventually, Mr. Richardson created his At the turn of the Millennium, Richardson’s diversified once again in which Hemsby Beach Holiday Park was merged with our and motor launches own boat building operation at our Stalham marina, under the – this time into public houses. The Limes at Fakenham in North neighbouring site Seacroft Holiday Village. Adding fantastic new whilst Mr. Richardson name “Horizon Craft”. Norfolk was the first acquisition, with the Blueberry accommodation, such as Robert with his first three boats in 1949 Junior was away doing in Norwich following in July 2000. Just 3 months caravans and lodges with hot his duty in the R.A.F. Over the next few years, Mr. Richardson sold the entire later, the Angel public house in Stoke-by-Nayland in tubs, as well as redeveloping during the Second World War – and 3 years later, in 1947 once Stalham yard, including the fleet of 244 cruisers, to the Rank Colchester was purchased, with the company taking the sites entertainment the war was over, Mr. Richardson Junior was able to re-join his Organisation in 1974. From here, Mr. Richardson bought a over the Racecourse on the edges of Norwich the offering to deliver a great father in the boat letting business. motor repair garage at Catfield, erecting a T2 aircraft shed to following year. Then came the Waterfront Palace in range of fantastic Go Active continue his boat building operation, and began to let these Chelmsford, Essex in late 2002. activities from Archery, Air Just 10 years later, our fleet had outgrown the Oulton Broad from Acle in 1977. Boardz and Climbing Walls to sites. Even with the purchase of Parkers Yard (later Hamptons), In early 2004, the company acquired Caesars Hemsby Beach Holiday Park, 2018 Sea Scooters, Water Walkers 2 boat dykes in Carlton Ham and a boat building yard on Lake Just 10 years later, Mr. Richardson bought back the Stalham Arcade, next door to Hemsby Beach Holiday Village, and Zorbing! .