Freedom Boat Club buys into Portsmouth to start UK expansion plans
Freedom Boat Club, a division of Brunswick Corporation, is opening its first company-owned location in Portsmouth, near Port Solent. It says it has chosen the area as it’s one of the most desirable boating destinations in the UK. Locating here is part of Freedom Boat Club’s strategy for continued expansion in Europe (it already utilises locations in France).
“We believe there is an opportunity to successfully expand Freedom Boat Club across Europe as boating is one of the most popular outdoor activities in the region,” says Jason Worthy, vice-president of Boating Services EMEA. “This expansion into a new region represents the beginning of our continued efforts to replicate the successful model we have built in North America to provide a pathway to introduce more global consumers to the on-water lifestyle.”
The UK club is located at Trafalgar Wharf. It officially opens this weekend as prospective members are invited to an open house.
“We believe the UK and Europe are prime markets for the growth of Freedom Boat Club,” says Worthy. “This is the first in what we expect to be multiple new locations in and around the United Kingdom. We are excited to introduce our award-winning Brunswick brands and the Freedom Boat Club model to boaters across the UK.”
This latest acquisition is the company’s sixth corporate owned territory and first in Europe, joining Southwest Florida, Southeast Florida, Raleigh, North Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina and Chicago, Illinois in the United States.
