As a keen sailor I have had occasion to go to Port Solent Marina twice this season. It is a huge marina with a lock that you go through, a number of restaurants, a cinema and housing all surrounding the floating "boat park".
There are some good things that Port Solent do. They charge for fuel at cost, having correctly decided it is a service that they make relatively little money out of. So better to have some goodwill from customers. As a yachtsman I use relatively little fuel, but I am sure the power boat customers appreciate the gesture and understand that Port Solent's pricing power means they won't get the same prices as the supermarkets.
I also was very glad on the second visit to be told that we were going to be moored away from the restaurants. On a nice sunny Saturday evening the noise makes it difficult to concentrate or sleep if you aren't actively in one of the bars or restaurants.
Sadly we then got to experience what it is like to be second class citizens. When we went to use the toilets, berthholders are directed to one way where they get...
"very high quality unisex wet-room style 'bathrooms' being constructed with individual facilities for berth-holders."
Being visitors we were directed to...
"separate facilities for visitors and those crews involved in large events."
The quotes come from the proud marketing folk at Premier Marinas who trumpet the new facilities for berth holders.
These turned out to be portacabins parked in the parking lot. They were tired facilities with poor lighting, inadequate space in the unisex showers to get changed, and an air of neglect. I know where I am going to spend my money in future, and it isn't likely to be at Port Solent until they have upgraded the facilities for visiting yachtsman. There are too many other options in Portsmouth. Sadly, this marina's loos are anything but premier. And that's not good for their brand or reputation.
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