UK: MDL celebrates its 50th Anniversary…

MDL Marinas, one of Europe’s largest marina groups, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. To kick off the celebrations, the company has launched a new website (www.mdlmarinas.co.uk/mdl50th/) to showcase its vibrant history.

“MDL has seen many positive changes, acquisitions and developments since we started in the early 1970s, as well as bearing witness to the evolution of boating itself in the UK,” says managing director, Michael Glanville, who joined MDL in 2006 before taking the helm in 2018.

“We’ve been at the forefront of the changes in the boating landscape since we formed in 1973, developing our network of marinas over the years in some of the most stunning waterfront locations,” he adds. “We’re now one of the biggest operators of coastal marinas in the UK, which you might find surprising when you consider our first venture was Penton Hook Marina, miles from the sea, amid the water meadows of the Thames Valley.”

Fifty years later, MDL offers state-of-the-art berthing, drystack facilities and moorings at 18 coastal and inland marinas in the UK and one in Spain, creating unique waterside destinations for people to enjoy their leisure time.

 Most MDL marinas are now found in prime locations along the coast, but it wasn’t until 1982, almost ten years after it formed, that MDL purchased its first saltwater marina – Cobb’s Quay in Poole.

“Torquay came next in 1984, followed by Port Hamble, Mercury Yacht Harbour, Northney Marina and Woolverstone Marina in 1987,” Glanville says. “We added Hamble Point Marina to our portfolio in 1988, which is in such a perfect position at the entrance to the River Hamble, offering such easy access to the cruising waters of the Solent.”

With momentum gathering, MDL expanded its network further in 1989 when civil engineering firm Dean & Dyball accepted a takeover offer, adding Hythe Marina Village, Ocean Village and Shamrock Quay to MDL’s line-up.

“Brixham Marina followed in 1990, and by the mid 90s, in terms of marina locations, we had become very much the marina group you see today, with some of our marinas playing a part in events that have gone down in sailing history and hosting some truly iconic yachts.”

“In 1990, Tracy Edwards triumphantly brought home the first all-female Whitbread Round the World Race on yacht Maiden to our Ocean Village Marina. At the time, it was estimated that almost 50,000 people came to Ocean Village to witness this momentous event, which helped to turn the tide on women’s participation in sailing.”

 In 1988 MDL created its Sail Training Awards, which are designed to reward inspirational young people between the ages of 12 and 18 who have overcome adverse personal circumstances.

Run in conjunction with Ocean Youth Trust (South), the awards provide 12 spaces on board the sail training vessel Prolific and since the set up over 30 years ago, 140 young people have experienced a life changing voyage.

Sustainability and care for the environment are now central to MDL’s future plans as it aims to become the UK’s most sustainable marina operator.

“We’ve seen lots of positive change over the last 50 years, initially with the acquisition and development of our marinas to the expansion of our shore-based leisure offering,” Glanville notes, and all marinas continue to be busy. “Since the pandemic, the popularity of boating and watersports has grown exponentially and we’re seeing an ever-increasing number of people coming to our marinas for the first time, whether it’s to go sailing, enjoy being by the water or stay at one of our waterside lodge parks.”