BURNHAM Yacht Harbour, also known as Burnham Marina, is now one of the biggest employers in the area and yet a glimpse at its history shows how it started out as a simple idea by four enterprising men in the town before the First World War.

The modern marina has a sophisticated berth and vessel management system for 350 boats, together with professional accounting and catering personnel, an active yacht broker on site, a busy boat workshop and, of course, a thriving clubhouse with bar and restaurant facilities.

Burnham Yacht Harbour is also home to two RNLI lifeboats which are permanently moored there, as well as providing a base for the Marine Police vessels and the Crouch Harbour Authority's pilot boat and harbour launch, together with the MOD rangefinder launch.

The marina has become an iconic sight in Burnham-on-Crouch, with the current harbour built in 1989 by leading British and Dutch engineers. They created a harbour with enough depth to give 24-hour unrestricted access to the River Crouch.

Sixteen years ago another local man, Richard Lingard, and Jeremy Aslan became owner directors when the marina was bought by Burnham Yacht Harbour Marina Ltd. There has been further substantial enhancement of the marina over the years since then, with the general buzz and ambience of the place attracting both sailors and non-sailors alike.

How the yacht harbour came to be at Burnham

Burnham on Crouch has been a favourite haunt of yachtsmen for generations, but the company originally involved in the development of the yacht harbour started modestly with four men founding the firm of Tucker Brown & Co in 1906 to provide moorings and laying up facilities on the former oyster leases. They fitted out boats each spring, and this side of the business grew, though World War I caused a major interruption.

The company grew after the war, and had enough experience by World War II to become an Admiralty boat-builder.

Two sons of one of the founders took over the company after the war, and it became known for yacht-building, gaining fame with the 'Stella' class.

During the 1970s the firm switched back to its original emphasis on moorings and boat-caretaking, and as a natural progression it was Tucker Brown that first planned, developed and ran the new marina from 1989 until the present owners bought it.

-Now Nub News is proud to announce that Burnham Marina has become the main sponsor of Burnham and Dengie Nub News, allowing us to continue bringing readers all the latest news from Burnham-on-Crouch and the Dengie Peninsula.

Karl Hancock, Nub News founder and CEO, welcomed Burnham Marina as a sponsorship partner and said: "Burnham Marina is an integral part of the village and with its strong connection to the peninsula's past, present and the future, is a superb fit for Nub News.

"We look forward to working with all involved at the marina, with its various projects and helping to solidify their commitment to community involvement, which is the ethos of Nub News."

Marina directors Richard Lindgard and Jeremy Aslan (or a spokesman) said: "We at Burnham Marina appreciate what a fabulous town we are based in and how much visitors love coming here.

"We are also aware of how much our staff love living and working in Burnham-on-Crouch and the villages of the Dengie Peninsula.

"We appreciate this community and the part we can play, so we are delighted to sponsor Burnham and Dengie Nub News, which covers every aspect of what is happening in the area."

East Coast Marinas is also sponsoring our sister site, Shotley Peninsula Nub News, where they have another successful marina.