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Princess Anne officially opens yacht marina       3/9/14

 

Photos: Pipebands tune up for Princess Anne in Lochmaddy      

Photos:  Princess Anne opens Lochmaddy Marina

 

Princess Anne has officially opened the new £410,000 yacht marina in North Uist.

 

The Princess Royal said she was “delighted” to be at the ceremony in Lochmaddy and thanked islanders for inviting her.

 

The marina was built by Comann na Mara (Society of the Sea) which is the first body in the UK to secure Local Management Agreement (LMA) for community control of a section of the seabed from the Crown Estate.

 

Gus Macaulay of Comann na Mara said marine tourism was a growing market which must be grasped to boost the Hebridean economy.

 

Mr Macaulay said the pent up demand has resulted in yachtsmen popping into in Uists instead of sailing past.

 

He said the marina is in a “strategic location, in the middle between Stornoway and Barra.

“That’s good for us in the sense that people can change crews here and fly in from the mainland.”

 

They hope for more yachts next season as presently there has been a “big impact on the local economy.”

 

In addition, they initial reckoned crews would only stay for one day but in reality they tend to berth for three nights, he added.

 

Gareth Baird, Scottish commissioner for The Crown Estate, said the method of partnership delivery is “unique” and he hopes it will encourage other coastal communities to do the same.

 

Photos: Pipebands tune up for Princess Anne in North Uist

Photos:  Princess Anne opens Lochmaddy Marina

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