PORTISHEAD QUAYS MARINA 2018 www.quaymarinas.com QUAYplus offering real ‘added value’ for our customers! “The range of services we offer and the manner in which we deliver them is your guarantee of our continuing commitment to provide our berth holders with the highest standards of marina care” safe havens We strive to provide safe, sheltered and well maintained pontoon berths for all our customers’ boats within a fun and ‘Active Marina’. reciprocal berthing between all Quay friendly service FREE We encourage our staff to understand Marinas for all annual berth holders boating people’s needs and appreciate that we must help our customers to enjoy FREE secure Wi-Fi their leisure time at our marinas. fine facilities 50% discounted visitor berthing at 77 We invest heavily to ensure that our TransEurope marinas for berth holders marinas provide a good range of marina and support facilities which we up to 50% off standard tariff work hard to continually maintain and 50% improve. for winter berthing 20% off standard insurance rates through Quay Marinas scheme with Towergate Insurance Our reputation as one of the UK’s most respected marina operators has been built on the simple 15% first year berth discount for boats premise of providing the finest facilities, offering sold into our marinas by our on-site friendly, experienced service and a safe and active brokers haven for both you and your boat. www.quaymarinas.com ii Quay Marina’s PORTISHEAD Yearbook 2018 Quay Marinas participate in the Yacht Harbour Association ‘Gold Anchor Award’ scheme, which rates marinas in accordance with equipment and facilities provided, customer service and operational systems in a similar way to hotel ‘star’ ratings. Portishead Quays Marina has Welcome To Portishead Quays Marina achieved the highest rating of ‘5 Gold Anchors’. Welcome to the 2018 edition of the Portishead Quays Marina handbook, I hope the Quay Marinas continue to strive to deliver information it contains will help you to get the most out of the Marina, our facilities, our mission statement which is to provide the local area and its attractions. our customers with “Safe Havens, Friendly Service and Fine Facilities”. We are proud that our well trained and experienced Our 5 Gold Anchor Marina forms the centre piece expanding TransEurope marina group. All our staff are committed to fulfilling these simple of the prestigious Port Marine development, where customers benefit from our core values of providing a requirements. In addition we understand that we must you will find a hive of activity for both locals and safe berth for your vessel, excellent customer service provide real value for money for our customers, and for visitors to enjoy. The H&W bar/restaurant and other and value for money with friendly and helpful staff this reason we are doing our very best to deliver genuine local hostelries along with a selection of cafés all that are available 24 hours a day 365 days a year. added value through our ‘Quay Plus’ package. help in providing excellent meeting places for good Marina Safety both ashore and afloat is of In addition we are striving to ensure that our marinas food and wine or for those who just like to stroll, paramount importance and our H&S procedures are are really fun places to be – all our marinas are ‘Active a variety of vessels can regularly be seen locking in under continual review, please take time to read the Marinas’ providing an array of events and training and out or being lifted to and from the water. There section on Marina Safety and familiarise yourself activities to help ensure that our customers get the most is also a good selection of shops, restaurants and with the Marina’s safety equipment. supermarkets all within easy walking distance of the out of their boating. We hope that you will all enjoy Marina. Finally, on behalf of myself and all the team, I wish your stay with us this year. you fun, fair winds and good health. Following on from last year’s success and as Kind Regards and safe boating! testament to our continued commitment to the Simon Haigh, Managing Director. Marina and community we have, at the head of the marina installed a purpose built “kids Crabbing pontoon” (which has been hugely popular) and “floating boat sales” office and I’m pleased to welcome the occupants “Tingdene boat sales” they bring a range of new and brokerage vessels and a wealth of experience to compliment the marina. Our “Quay Plus” package for annual berth holders Portishead Quays Marina, Newfoundland Way, remains popular with free visitor berthing at Penarth Keith Berry Portishead, North Somerset BS20 7DF Marina and discounted visitor berthing at the ever Marina Manager Tel: 01275 841941 Email: [email protected] VHF Channel 80 Call Sign Portishead Quays Marina www.quaymarinas.com 1 History The historic dock which was built in 1869 and after many delays, first opened to shipping The ships were fitted out with large tanks encased in heated jackets to keep the phosphorus in a liquid in 1879 is now home to Portishead Quays Marina. state. This was then transferred to holding tanks ready for distribution. The decommissioning of the site was brewing industry and to make a lengthy process that took about 4 years culminating cattle feed. In 1911 the mill in the demolition and clearance of site in 1999 in suffered a near fatal fire, readiness for the re-development of the docks. which caused much damage Commercial shipping ceased using the docks in 1992 and smouldered for 4 days. and although there was still marine traffic passing The local brigades struggled on route to and from the Royal Portbury Dock and to bring the burning building Avonmouth, the only visiting boats to Portishead under control, so as soon as were yachts and small pleasure craft owned by local the tide permitted, the Bristol residents. The docks were derelict and after a program salvage vessel ‘Bulldog’ entered of demolition the site was cleared in readiness for the the dock and pumped 700 exciting new Port Marine development to evolve. While gallons of water per minute on construction of town houses and luxury apartments to the burning building. The began on the west side of the dock work began on mill was finally demolished in the new Marina, the centre piece of the £400 million the 1950’s to make way for development. A new lock measuring 40 metres by 9 Portishead ‘B’ power station. metres was built within the old lock barrel with state Portishead Docks in 2017 In 1926 construction started of the art gates and HMI control. The first phase of the on Portishead ‘A’ power station pontoons and the berth holders facilities were installed The docks were constructed by widening and on the land behind the mill. Coal-fired generation of ready for the grand opening in May 2001. impounding the tidal pill before which, the waters of electricity began in 1929 and supplied the whole of the Bristol Channel reached up as far as the old tide Bristol, North Somerset and part of South Somerset. In mill, now the The Old Mill Restaurant. A mooring 1937 the first tall stack was added, standing 350 feet point for boats can still be seen on the wall opposite high. After the war generating capacity was increased the Inn. The docks at Portishead and Avonmouth by the addition of a second tall stack. In the 1950’s were built to help relieve Bristol City Docks from the work began on the construction of Portishead ‘B’ problems encountered due to the growth in traffic and power station and stacks 3 & 4 were erected, 383 feet increasing size of trading ships making their way up high. The chimneys themselves and the smoke they the Avon to Bristol. The original lock was 140 metres produced were a familiar landmark for miles around by 20 metres and visiting ships were laden with timber, and could be seen clearly from the Welsh coast. When petrol, grain, and in later year’s phosphorus and coal. the Somerset coalfield finally closed in 1972 the power Trade and tourism were on the up, increased by the station was converted to oil, however the cost of oil was on the increase and the Portishead stations were newly built single line broad gauge railway track Portishead Docks in 1999 which linked Portishead Pier to Bristol. Portishead then only used as standby generators. Portishead ‘A’ had become a popular destination for day-trippers was closed in 1976 followed by ‘B’ in 1982. Over the and tourists, who would take advantage of the local years ash and clinker from the Power Stations have bathing beaches and stand and view the many boats been used to raise ground levels around the dock so which would wait in King Road just off the pier for that it is no longer possible to see the original shape the tides to take them down channel or up the Avon and size of the old tidal pill. on their approach to Bristol. One of the familiar sights On the east side of the dock, the Albright and Wilson viewed from Portishead Pier was the Bristol Training phosphorus works were built during the 1950s to Ship ‘Formidable’. The old warship lay anchored off process imported phosphate rock and convert it to Portishead for nearly 40 years and throughout that liquid phosphorus. This process required a high use of time gave nautical training to over 3,500 poor and electricity, supplied by the Portishead power stations destitute boys to prepare them for service in the Royal and when the cost of oil rose in the 70s, so did the and Merchant Navies.