A FORMER schoolboy rower, who competed against the King s School team along the river at Ely, has returned to the city as the new owner of the marina. Jeremy Tyrrell and his brother Michael bought the nine-acre marina when it came up for sale for the firs

A FORMER schoolboy rower, who competed against the King's School team along the river at Ely, has returned to the city as the new owner of the marina.

Jeremy Tyrrell and his brother Michael bought the nine-acre marina when it came up for sale for the first time in 20 years with a price tag of £2.5 million.

They beat off competition from 60 interested buyers, including some from overseas.

"Ely is the crown jewels of marinas in this area," said Jeremy.

"These sorts of sites don't come up very often."

The brothers, both chemical engineers, run Jalsea Marine, which also operates a similar sized shipyard in Northwich in Cheshire.

They plan to run the marina in a similar manner to their predecessors with some expansion of moorings and undertaking more high-tech boat repairs, including hull restoration, anti-fouling stripping, and painting and protection for narrow boats.

"We will bring newer technologies," added Jeremy.

"I think that will be a big factor, because at the moment owners have to go 20 miles or more to get their boats painted, and face a year's waiting list.

"We will make the two yards work together and bring together the strengths of both."

Ely Marina was sold last autumn by John and Pat Loveys who decided to retire after running it for 20 years as a family business.

The freehold marina has 235 berths, with an annual billing income of more than £230,000, and includes a reception and office building, boat workshop, ladies' and gents' showers and toilets, a hoist dock and petrol, diesel, and Calor gas sales.