Thinking about repairs or upgrades before summer touring?
Beat the rush and use the downtime to tackle repairs and upgrades now.
Our team will make sure your motorhome is ready when touring season arrives.
Book your boat in with our expert engineers today. Call 01270 525040 for your quote!
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Sell your boat with confidence at Aqueduct Marina. We offer a free valuation and boat collection with no mooring fees and fixed brokerage fees.
Let our trusted brokers take the stress out of the process and make selling your boat simple.
Click the button below for more details
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Dear Customers,
Following the government announcement on Sunday 10th of May, we are now reviewing procedures here at the marina to enable you and our staff to return safely.
The government has yet to release the guidance needed to do this and we must ask you not to make any immediate plans to visit the marina or your boat at this time.
The documents being prepared by the government are due to be released later today and as we know how keen you will be to have access to your boat, it is our aim to update you again within the next 48 hrs.
Thank you for your patience and all the best,
The Aqueduct Team
For more info about Coronavirus you can visit…
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Getting back to work Aqueduct retain five gold anchor statusNeed More Information About Coronavirus ?
For Further Information And Advice Regarding Coronavirus (Covid-19) We Suggest Visiting The Following Official Websites
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/prime-ministers-office-10-downing-street
We know that you will be keen to see how we are managing as things change day-by-day and any contact to discuss this with our team will be welcomed.
You can contact our team via phone 01270 525 040 or alternatively e-mail via info@aqueductmarina.co.uk whatever your question may be.
Need More Information About Coronavirus ?
For Further Information And Advice Regarding Coronavirus (Covid-19) We Suggest Visiting The Following Official Websites
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/prime-ministers-office-10-downing-street
We know that you will be keen to see how we are managing as things change day-by-day and any contact to discuss this with our team will be welcomed.
You can contact our team via phone 01270 525 040 or alternatively e-mail via info@aqueductmarina.co.uk whatever your question may be.
Here’s our latest newsletter…
The March 2020 issue includes an update on many aspects of marina life and the work we are doing.
Such as; our brokerage update, a first look at the new marina reception which due to be completed this month and a look into the Canal And River Trust Project “River”.
We are also glad to announce the return of the Moorers Coffee Morning, on the first Saturday of each month…
The first is being held, Saturday 4th of April from 10:00 until 11:00.
As ever, there’s plenty going on here at Aqueduct Marina and we hope to see you here soon.
More time for you membership packages
The View from the Boat Brokers Desk
With a new decade starting the Church Minshull Aqueduct Marina team began to discuss the changing way people view, buy and sell boats through the brokerage.
Aqueduct Brokerage and Sales Manager Ian looks at the evolution of the boat brokerage.
Ten years ago, 2010, individual boats were listed by brokers in adverts in boating magazines. This was at that time the main way for buyers to search for boats for sale. This got a lot of boats in front of thousands of potential buyers in a cost effective way for brokers. Unfortunately, printed press lead times could be so long that often boats had sold before publications went out to print!
Social media was still very new in this time for the marine industry and was an undervalued sales tool. Most brokerages had a website with boats listed, but customers were much less accustomed and less confident shopping online.
Customers visited sites to view boats after seeing them advertised in the press. The buyer would then peruse the range of several boats before finding the right one.
Today, 2020, very few brokerages list individual boats in printed adverts, but instead brokers and boat builders use the press for promoting the business brand. This is often to attract the boat vendor as much as a buyer.
Individual boats are almost always first viewed by potential buyers on the internet either by going to brokerage websites, industry website such as Apollo Duck. Following boats sales social media feeds for newly listed boats is now top of the list when researching a purchase.
Buyers are arriving at brokerages having already seen the boats on the internet and are fully briefed on the boat details. Their visit is primarily to reassure themselves the boats is what it purports to be, and the selling brokerage or marina is professional.
Fast forward to 2030, the move away from printed press to online advertising will likely continue and grow. We feel the only publications remaining will be magazines with a strong online readership.
At Aqueduct we are already seeing certain areas of the country become hot spots for brokerages. Such as around Nantwich, with several good brokerages within easy driving distance. These hot spots will continue to grow in areas where there are both excellent transport and several canals in one area. Resulting in buyers being prepared to travel and stay locally while visiting several brokerages in one day to the benefit of all the brokers and marinas on the local hot spot circuit. This could result in outlying smaller brokerages struggling.
We could then see an emergence of super brokers who like the ‘car supermarkets’ are able to provide the widest range or quality boats on one site, These super brokers will also have the finance packages, surveying facilities and engineering support services at one site that will provide reassurance to both buyers and sellers.
New boat builders may increasingly use these super brokerages as a sales showroom and place stock boats for sale in these outlets. Enabling builders to focus on building and providing the buyer with the touch-and-feel element.
We hope to finally see a boat ownership (V5 style) document created. To make proof of boat ownership more straight forward. We will probably see boat ownership and finance change. The car market had made a move away from ownership to lease hire and Personal Contract purchase (PCP).
As a result, it is likely that the boat ownership may be with the marina or finance house and the boat buyer is renting/leasing for a number of years while they operate the boat.
These leasing PCP ownership models could then be linked to mooring fees and service packages, giving a truly all-inclusive boat price meaning the ownership model as we understand it today becomes the exception rather than the norm.
With the extensive facilities of Aqueduct Marina from café and chandlery to engineering and moorings, offering a full service all in one place, could it be a super broker of the future?
Aqueduct NewsletterHere’s the first Aqueduct newsletter for 2020!
In this January issue we look ahead to 2020, have an update on a busy year for brokerage, reflect on a successful award season for the marina and one of its moorers as well as proving you with general updates for the year ahead.
There’s also a brief update on the latest consultations and elections and the water regulation advisory scheme (WRAS).
Enjoy this latest issue and if you haven’t already then why not subscribe and get it sent directly to you every two months.
RAM on the looseMeaning of Ram – a male sheep, battering ram or to roughly force (something) into place… well its fair to say that RAM, the boat, which was launched at Aqueduct Marina today, is anything but sheepish, battered nor rough!
RAM is actually a brand new Canal and River Trust work-boat, and represents months of hard work by our extremely talented operations team. All members of the team have been involved in the project from start to finish and we are all very proud of the final result. The Shell was built onsite by our fabrication team then handed over to the painting department where it has been grit blasted to SA 2.5 standards and coated with a 2 Pac epoxy coating. After this RAM was completely rebuilt including a brand new Beta engine, internal fit out by Knights Narrow boats and electrical loom supplied by Loom Tech. The final painting touches where then applied including new C&RT logos and a hard wearing anti slip coating on the decks and walkways.
This craft has been very carefully designed and built to ensure that it is safe to use, comfortable for its users, extremely practical and will last the test of time as it helps with the vital maintenance work on our fantastic inland waterways.
Ambassador Business of the Year AwardThe Ambassador of the Year Award sponsored by Cheshire East Council was open to any business trading within the Crewe and Nantwich area of South Cheshire. Judges from Cheshire East Council awarded Aqueduct Marina with this award as they displayed expertise and leadership in the field on a regional and national area.
Robert Parton MD of the five gold anchor marina commented on the award: “It is a huge privilege to accept this award on behalf of the whole Aqueduct Marina team.”
“This award rounds of our successful tenth anniversary year, as it is especially rewarding to be acknowledged alongside many other brilliant South Cheshire companies. Our thanks go to the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, Cheshire East Council and master of ceremonies Cheshire Cat Radio.”
This award recognition for the Shropshire Union Canal based family marina joins the fourth consecutive Inland Marina of the Year award that was won at the Southampton International Boat Show in September.
Aqueduct Newsletter November 2019It’s time for the latest instalment of our Aqueduct Newsletter.
In this November issue we reflect on our latest award, look at a boat with some history as well as updates on team news and brokerage.
There’s also a brief update on the latest government clean air strategy and how you can get involved.
Enjoy this latest issue and if you haven’t already then why not subscribe and get it sent directly to you every two months.
The Marina is open:
Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sat - Sun: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
The Cafe is open:
Sun - Thurs: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Fri & Sat: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
The Chandlery is open:
Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sat - Sun: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
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