Broom Boats has been sold to Horning Pleasurecraft for an undisclosed sum.
The Broom Boats business was established in 1898 at Brundall on the UK’s Norfolk Broads to build ‘beautifully crafted sailing cruisers for gentleman’.
The business is based on an 8.6-acre (3.49 ha) freehold site with more than 72,000sqft (6,719sqm) of marine-related buildings.
The business also includes 78 private marina berths and a hire fleet comprising 24 luxury cruisers, six electrically operated day-craft and two fishing boats.
Also included in the sale was the White Heron pub which was the subject of a £600,000 programme of investment prior to reopening in 2022.
Horning Pleasurecraft owners, Clive and Victoria Richardson currently operate Horning Marina on the River Bure and Cove Marina which is situated close to the Broom site in Brundall.
“I’ve been in the Broads boating and boat building business all my life,” said Clive. “We’ve been developing the Horning Pleasurecraft business over the last four years, starting with a hire fleet of three boats and a team of engineers and boat builders at Horning and adding Cove marina in 2021.”
Building Broom Boats at Brundall again is a real possibility.
Clive Richardson
He added: We weren’t actively looking for another marina at the time the Broom opportunity presented itself, but it was on our doorstep and the size of site, together with the extensive hire fleet and facilities makes it a fantastic fit for us.
“We have plans to improve and fill the moorings, expand the private work and service division as well as maintaining the quality hire fleet. Building Broom Boats at Brundall again is a real possibility.”
The deal was brokered by Jon Patrick, head of Leisure and Development at Christie & Co, with the assistance of Lewis Last, Senior Business Agent in Christie & Co’s Retail & Leisure team.
“As we anticipated at the outset, the interest in Broom Boats came from a diverse range of potential purchasers including other regional leisure business owners, as well as property developers and investors,” said Jon.
“However, there was also strong interest from the boating and marine related community which in the end provided the best fit for the business moving forward and firmly ensures the future of Broom in the hands of the experienced Horning Pleasurecraft team.”
