Buckler’s Hard boatshed opens after £2m redevelopment
Newest mooring holder Dewi Thomas, longest-serving mooring holder Joanne Husband, Olympian Vita Heathcote and hereditary peer Lord Montagu at the opening.
Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour has marked the opening of its newly redeveloped boatshed following a £2m investment.
The updated Buckler’s Hard boatshed provides five first-floor waterfront offices, two meeting rooms with river views and three workshops, including one tall enough to accommodate a boat at full height. The other two bays are insulated and equipped with roller shutter doors, designed for use in boatyard operations.
Ralph Douglas-Scott-Montagu, British peer and owner of the Beaulieu Estate, officially opened the facility at the harbour’s annual summer event for berth and mooring holders. Olympian Vita Heathcote, a Lymington-based sailor and Team GB’s youngest competitor at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, was invited to cut the ribbon. Also attending were long-term berth holders Joanne and Tom Husband, who have kept their British Folkboat Tomic on the Beaulieu River for over 50 years, alongside Dewi Thomas, a recent addition to the mooring community.
Montagu said: “The redevelopment of the boatshed is an important next step following the major renewal and extension of Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour in 2021. It is good to see this 54-year-old building given a new lease of life and brought up to the standards required by today’s marine industry.
“The refurbished boatshed provides the opportunity for marine businesses to relocate to the Beaulieu River so that we can offer the best facilities and services to our mooring holders.”
The summer gathering featured activities including a classic American car display, Lindy Hop dancing, vintage games, a surf machine and animals from the Countryside Education Trust. Exhibitors included the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, yacht broker Parker Adams, Hudson Marine and New Forest Marque.
Guests also toured the Fair Lady of Beaulieu, a 100-year-old former pleasure vessel that later served as a WWII patrol boat. The vessel has since undergone restoration and has been renamed.
Harbour master Wendy Stowe said: “Our summer party has become a key date on our calendar to bring together the Beaulieu River Community for great fun, live music and a friendly catch-up over a cold drink and bite to eat. We receive lovely comments about how much our berth and mooring holders enjoy it.”
Attendees were also invited to view the boatshed’s interior. Letting terms for the offices include access to a communal kitchen, parking, electricity and Wi-fi (subject to service charge). Office tenants may use meeting rooms and access a leased line with guaranteed bandwidth. Meeting rooms are also available to rent by the day or half-day. Preference is given to marine-related tenants offering services that benefit the harbour’s 200 walk-ashore pontoon berths, 300 river moorings and approximately 10,000 annual visiting vessels.
A new marina shop and reception area has also opened, offering food, drink, gifts, boating supplies and a cafe space. The boatshed is now operational for the 2025 summer season.
Buckler’s Hard hosts 200 fully-serviced pontoon berths and 300 river moorings. Most recently, two new-style emergency ladders have been placed on the visitor’s pontoon.
This redevelopment project follows a recent marina reconfiguration and expansion of Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour, completed in 2021 by Beaulieu Enterprises as the marina turned half a century.
