Premier Marinas has welcomed Deacons Marina in Hampshire into its branded network, completing the first phase of its integration of the former Boatfolk group eight months after last September’s acquisition.
Five of the 11 Boatfolk sites are now Premier-branded: Deacons, Haslar, East Cowes, Portland and Weymouth. The group’s total stands at 17 marinas running from Falmouth to Eastbourne.
The Acquisition
Premier acquired Boatfolk from Mansford, a UK operational real estate fund manager, for an undisclosed sum in September 2025. The deal was funded by Premier’s long-term owner Wellcome, the global charitable foundation, and brought two groups of 11 marinas together into a combined portfolio of 22 UK sites. Broadfield advised Premier on the transaction; CBRE advised Mansford on the sale.
At the time, Pete Bradshaw, Chief Executive of Premier Marinas, said the two businesses shared a common customer ethos. The plan was for Boatfolk to continue operating largely unchanged while integration timelines were developed. The first phase of that work is now done.
In April 2026, Premier made a further acquisition, adding the Dart Marina Group to its portfolio. That transaction comprised Dart Marine, Dart Marina Hotel and the Dartmouth Higher Ferry, consolidating Premier’s presence on the South Devon coast.
What Berth Holders Gain
Deacons berth holders can now access Premier Advantage, the group’s rewards programme. The headline benefit is 42 nights of complimentary visitor stays across the Premier network, alongside preferential fuel rates. The programme is accessible via the MyPremier platform and the Premier app.
Andrew Lewis, Sales and Marketing Director at Premier Marinas, said the timing of the first phase was intentional.
It is no secret, the acquisition of the Boatfolk portfolio presented a huge opportunity for us to deepen our network offering. We have deliberately timed the first phase of our integration activity to ensure we were able to maximise and focus the benefits for our customers this season.
The conclusion of this first phase of alignment of the Boatfolk sites marks an important step forward in our evolution as a business, as we continue to invest in our sites and expand the level of service we provide our customers.
What Comes Next
Phase two is scheduled for autumn 2026 and covers five remaining former Boatfolk sites: Conwy, Penarth, Portishead, Rhu and Royal Quays. Completing the autumn phase will bring all ten identified Boatfolk locations fully into the Premier network.
The Bigger Picture
When the Boatfolk deal closed in September 2025, it was backed by Wellcome as a direct investment. The charitable foundation owns Premier Marinas outright and the company transfers residual profits to Wellcome via Gift Aid each year. Charles Knight, Founding Partner at Mansford, described Boatfolk at the time of the sale as a “market-leading business” built on “institutional-quality assets.”
The combined group, with 17 Premier-branded marinas now operational and more to follow in autumn, represents a consolidation of the UK marina sector that has no recent parallel in scale.
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John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
