News article from Narrowboatworld.com

Arts festival for Mercia
Thursday, 28 April 2011 08:39

http://www.narrowboatworld.com/index.php/leatest/3140-art-festival-for-mercia

THE people at Mercia Marina, always on the look-out for new ideas are launching their own arts festival, to encourage artists, as part of the Willington Arts Festival.

The Trent & Mersey Canal marina is seeking artistic entries from people with any creative discipline that capture the essence of Mercia Marina's 74 acre beauty spot.

Four categories

Entries will be judged in four main categories—Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, and the best entries from each group will be exhibited as part of next year's Willington Arts Festival.

Some of the winners will also see their work appear in the marina's brochures and advertisements, and 12 of the entries are expected to feature in a 2013 calendar. The overall best entry, as judged by the marina, will also receive a prize (as yet to be determined) and have their work displayed at the marina.

The competition is officially launched at this year's festival, which takes place between 30th April and 2nd May.

Boaters

Robert Neff, General Manager of Mercia Marina, explained:

"Many of our boaters are keen painters and photographers and are regularly putting their talents to good use around the marina. Yet we are also keen to share this beautiful environment with other visitors, and we felt an art competition would be an ideal way to do that.

"Mercia Marina not only has large expanses of open water and brightly coloured canal boats, which lend themselves perfectly to artistic interpretation, it is also a real haven for wildlife. We look forward to welcoming artists of any age, capability and creative discipline to the marina. We're not necessarily looking for highly polished works of art—merely pieces which capture the artist's unique impression of the marina."

Any form

Works of art can be submitted in any form, including paintings, photography, sculpture, or any other creative medium. The competition is open to anyone, from school children to pensioners and from amateurs to professionals.

For further enquiries, contact 01283 703332 or email info@merciamarina.co.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
The closing date for entries is 20th April, 2012.

Trip Boat is now at the marina - Would you like to be the operator?

The Trip boat has now been purchased and is moored up now at the marina. The trip boat will provide a valuable service to the marina and has the benefit of being an existing business with bookings and enquiries transferable to the new operation runner. In addition any enquiries from Stenson will be referred to the new operator. There will only be a small outlay for the lucky new operator and the marina is only looking to cover its costs, not make a profit from it - that's for the operator! If you fancy running your very own trip and party boat business then please feel free to express your interest here at Mercia Marina office or call Robert on 01283 703332 or email info@merciamarina.co.uk All enquiries welcome

MERCIA MARINA IN DERBY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY 7TH APRIL

Shops and offices could be built in next phase of marina growth

A graphic showing how Mercia Marina would look after the Lighthouse and The Boardwalk developments have been built, and right, views of the marina as it is at the moment.

By robin johnson rjohnson@derbytelegraph.co.uk

SHOPS and offices could be built at a marina in a £1.7 million development that would create about 50 jobs. Madecorn Leisure, which owns Mercia Marina at Willington, has unveiled its latest plans for the complex in Findern Lane. The Broadwalk development, over two floors, would feature seven shop units on the ground floor and seven offices on the first floor. The shops would overlook the 585-berth marina and a further 100 car parking spaces would be created. A planning application has been submitted to South Derbyshire District Council. The Boardwalk would complement a restaurant and leisure complex, for which Madecorn already has planning permission. Last year, Madecorn received the go-ahead for the £2.5 million Lighthouse development, which will include a pub and restaurant, fitness suite, beauty salon, spa, gym, swimming pool and 10 guest bedrooms overlooking the marina. It has been called the Lighthouse because the main building features a glass and timber tower, resembling a lighthouse lamp room. The shops and offices part of The Boardwalk development will share some of the architectural features of the Lighthouse project. Madecorn is currently in negotiations with prospective tenants for the Lighthouse, with building work expected to start late this year in time for a summer 2012 opening. If it gets the go-ahead, the shops and offices will be built in late 2012. Once completed the Lighthouse will create 50 jobs. Combined with the shops and offices project, Mercia Marina will create in the region of 100 new posts. John Thornton, senior partner at Madecorn, said: "We have two strategies. "One is to provide the very best in facilities for the boating community at Mercia Marina. "The second is to give people more reasons to visit. "We hope to do that by providing more facilities and the new shops represent the next phase of development." Mr Thornton said the type of retail businesses he hoped to attract to the marina included farm shops, arts and crafts, outdoor clothing businesses and possibly a gallery. For the offices, he said firms involved in technology and design would be ideally suited. He said: "We've already had a number of businesses express an interest. "We already have some great businesses here, including the likes of Midland Chandlers, and we want to attract more high-quality tenants." The £7 million marina, on the Trent and Mersey Canal, opened in 2008. As well as berths for narrowboats and cruisers, it has a tearoom, fuelling quay and boat hire and sales. It is also building 18 timber holiday lodges. The shops and offices proposals would bring Madecorn's total investment in the site to an excess of £10 million. Mr Thornton said: "We're hopeful that the application will be successful. "We are investing millions in the area, boosting tourism, creating jobs and supporting the local economy."

INTERNET PROBLEMS

Our internet service provider is experiencing problems currently that they are working to resolve. Within the hour there will be a temporary fix appearing on the welcome page so that people can log on. The service provider is working to fix this problem this evening and we will keep you updated. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused

Great article in Towpath Talk about Hayley Powell. 'Forging ahead'

Check the latest Towpath Talk, (available in the marina office), for the full story.