Broom Boats, which has a 78-berth marina and hire fleet on the Norfolk Broads, is to be sold.

The sale is taking place on behalf of the Broom Marine Group which owns the 8.6 acre site on the River Yare.

Established in 1898 by Charles John Broom, Broom Boats originally built “beautifully crafted sailing cruisers for gentlemen” at its Brundall yard.

The marina caters for mooring holders only, and has no visitor berths

Since the 1960s, it produced more than 40 different boat models, ranging from the Broom 29 to the Broom 39KL.

But the production of new boat stopped in 2018 after a number of unprofitable years.

Between 1960 and 2018, Broom Boats build over 40 new models including the Broom 35 European

The marina and repair and maintenance part of the business was unaffected by the decision to stop boatbuilding, and the company focussed on developing its leisure market side.

Broom has operated a hire fleet since 1912, and this has now expanded from 24 boats in 2018 to a 24 luxury cruisers, six electrically operated day-craft and two fishing boats.

In 2022, Broom bought a former Yare public house, and spent £600,000 renovating the property before it opened as The White Heron.

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In November, it was announced the company would be launching a floating bed and breakfast business, with guests sleeping on board boats moored adjacent to the pub as part of efforts to make use of the hire fleet during the off-season rather than putting them into storage.

The sale is being handled by Christie & Co, and offers are now being invited.

Broom Boats will be sold as a going concern, with staff transferring to a new owner at completion.

Broom Boats covers 8.6 acres on the River Yare

The head of leisure and development at Christie & Co, Jon Patrick said he expected a lot of interest in the sale.

“We’ve witnessed an uptick in the demand for both inland and coastal marina and boating businesses over the last 18-months. This has come from existing UK and European operators, as well as boating and marine enthusiasts and investors.

“However, we’ve also seen greater activity in the sector from owners of holiday parks and associated leisure hospitality businesses which do share some similarities in terms of the underlying business model with marinas. As a result, we anticipate that interest in Broom Boats will come from a diverse range of parties,” he added.

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