PROMOTION Thrings meets. Pete Bradshaw, CEO of Premier Marinas stalished in 1994, Premi dikrencescomingthrough millennials What is your proudest Marinas owns and operates tend sohunt for experiences ratherthan achievement at Premier Marinas? nine marinas along the South own assets, and we've adapted our Our teams, We secured our Investors Coast, including Southsea, business model so reflectthe way people in People Gold accreditation last year Poet Solent, Gosport and SwamwickCHO go boating, The rise in popularity of which weareextremely proud about. You Pete Bradshaw talks to Thrings partner stand-uppaddleboardingand kayaking can have fantastic sitesand great assets Mary Chant about the changing face of are creating interesting opportunities but without good people it won't work. marinas and boatyard storage facilities or us. Wehave 200 staff who are all focused on Have you always worked in the marina industry? Is's fair to say my career took a namber complementary businesses across our whoby working alongside our full-time of interesting turns before I ended up ninesitesand arebroadening the leisure employees are able to understand exactly in the marina industry. I'm actually a facilities we offer. We recently secured what Premler Marinas stands for qualified chartered accountant,who in planning consent for themulti-million 2000 left the world of corporate finance poundredevelopment ofanewsite on the How would you describe your for the travel industry. As a result ofa River Dart,which,in time, will includea relationship with Hampshiret couple ofkey contactsl developedatthe boatyard, commercial units, a hotel and Iwas born in Zimbabwe and returnedto traveloperators wherel worked. I found more than 100residential units. We've theUKwith myfamilyn 1973 Initiallywe my way into the marina industry, f l'm started a short beeak holiday business livedina roomabove my grandmothers being honest, it wasn't one Ihad ever atour Chichester marina, peovide self house in Ringwood, moving to Romsey thought about ining butl oon realised storagefacilitiesatamam erofour sites, soon after that·1am very attached so it was going toofferme a fascinatingand and are looking to grow the food and Hampshire, although I have spent fulfilling career, Do youoffer more than berthing? ell We are increasingly moving into habits. We also take on seasonal staff, drink provision side ofour business time in other parts of the UK. Atter 1 left university I was involved in fish farming You must have seen the industry change over the years? When I joined Premier Marinas in 2006 part of what we offer. Boat ownerswant and spent there were more boats than there were reassurance that their prized assets time building marina berths, but people's ability to are being kept safe in their absence, a salmon keep expensive boats changed afterthe particularly if they've invested a lot of hatchery in the financial crisis in 2008. We have therefore time andmoneyinthem. Wesee security uter Hebrides. worked hardto add valueto our facilities as an essential part of the service we It could all tomeet customers higher expectations provide. Ifpeople feel securityislacking. have been so We're also seeing generational they will let us know. Security continues to be an importans different! For more information about Thrings solicitors, ploose visit THRINGS