New marina docks in Stone with the prospect of more jobs
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A new 180-berth marina near Stone has enjoyed a whirlwind first two months after its state-of-the-art facilities and traditional farm shop proved a huge hit with locals and boat owners across the UK.
Aston Marina, located on the Trent Mersey Canal, has already taken on 27 employees to cope with the initial demand and expects to create a further 10 jobs by the end of the year following an expected busy Spring and Summer.
The company is also looking at making the most of its river-side bistro, which offers a range of drinks, snacks, main meals and desserts created by a leading chef and from produce sourced within a ten kilometre radius.
Backed by a £62,500 Rural Enterprise Grant (REG) from Advantage West Midlands, the impressive venue can cater for up to 50 people inside and a further 40 al fresco on its decking area and in its stylish cedar houses.
“It has been an amazing start and we have been delighted by the way the project has been received locally and by visitors,” explained Helen Webb, who runs the £3.1m development with Alex Clayton.
“We can berth crafts up to 70 feet on both long and short-term contracts and people can benefit from secure parking close to the basins, two facility blocks with showers, toilets and laundry, a fuelling quay and vital pump out. Aston Marina is much more than just a place to moor boats.”
The bistro is a perfect example of this approach and the REG money has helped the company fit the kitchen out with the best cooking equipment, which in turn has helped it attract one of the most talented chefs in the region.
The additional funding has also been crucial in extending the outside area, an opportunity that should add thousands to turnover due its ability to seat more customers.
“When you are taking on such a big project any additional support you can access is much appreciated and I’ve no doubt that the Rural Enterprise Grant has helped us complete things quicker and to a much higher standard,” continued Helen.
“The process is relatively easy to complete and we had support form Caroline Cattle at every stage of the application. Hopefully, we will be able to repay their faith by continuing to take more people on and adding more to the local economy by using local suppliers.”
Funded under the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) which is managed by Advantage West Midlands and administered by Herefordshire Council, Rural Enterprise Grants are available for farmers and micro businesses developing and diversifying into food and drink, environmental technologies and tourism improvements.
Funding of up to 40% (or £62,500) can be secured towards projects that range from new processing machinery and supply chain equipment to energy installations and improvements to tourism experiences.
Caroline Cattle, Rural Enterprise Grants Manager, said: “Aston Marina is a flagship rural project and shows what can be done with the right people in charge and a clear vision of what needs to be achieved.
“They’ve taken a disused piece of land and transformed it into a state-of-the-art marina with excellent farm shop and a quality bistro serving traditional English food with a twist. The future is extremely exciting, with more educational visits and the possibility of the venue being used for more corporate events and weddings.”
The Rural Enterprise Grant (REG) has been successfully supporting farmers and rural businesses for over a year and to date has approved over £1.5m of grants. The project steering group has recently reviewed the eligibility criteria and extended the range of activities that are eligible to rural businesses.
In addition to projects linked to priorities like tourism, food and drink and environmental technologies, farmers can now apply for grant funding linked to Care Farming, education, on-farm retailing, farm-shops and non-food processing.
