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Boats enter Dover's Marina Curve, as more food stalls are planned

Exciting changes are being introduced at Dover's Marina Curve, including new businesses setting up home waterside.

After years of sitting empty, boats are now able to berth alongside the new pontoons in the marina.

Boats are now using the new marina in Dover, albeit temporarily. Picture: Port of Dover
Boats are now using the new marina in Dover, albeit temporarily. Picture: Port of Dover

The vessels have been temporarily relocated from nearby Wellington Dock, where dredging work is taking place.

The pontoons have remained mostly empty since being built three years ago, following fears they will become too unstable when the sea is rough.

The Port of Dover is now planning to build a second wave barrier to solve the problem.

The authority has also revealed live music will be introduced over the summer months at the Marina Curve, which was built as part of the £250m Dover Western Docks Revival Scheme.

More food vendors will also be added along the waterfront, joining Big Pan Foods, Café on the Curve, Wills Soft Ices and micro-brewery Breakwater Brewery, which is back with a new seating area.

Big Pan Foods will be joined by more food stalls. Picture: Port of Dover
Big Pan Foods will be joined by more food stalls. Picture: Port of Dover

A permanent stone-baked pizza stall is joining the line-up of concessions, while another new addition to the Curve is Planet Earth Kitchen, a vegan restaurant which already has a base in Folkestone.

The pizza stall is expected to open in the coming weeks.

There will be a regular schedule of events too on Sundays, delivered in partnership with Destination Dover.

A programme of events can be found at here.

Chris Windsor, marina manager at the Port of Dover, said: "We’re pleased to begin a temporary trial period of holding boats in the new marina.

A new hotel and restaurant are also planned for the area. Picture from the Electric Motel Company
A new hotel and restaurant are also planned for the area. Picture from the Electric Motel Company

"Boats have primarily been moved due to dredging requirements within Wellington Dock over the summer period and this has aligned well with an appetite amongst berth holders to try out the new marina.

"This won’t be a permanent move until the outer wave wall has been installed and tested to be sure of year-round comfort, but we’re delighted that berth holders be able to enjoy the amenities over the summer months.

"Together with local residents, they will be able to soak up the enhanced atmosphere on the Curve and get a feel for what the area will be like when the transition is complete."

Another development coming to the Curve is the arrival of Network Yacht Brokers Kent Ltd, moving into the Marina Undercroft building in June.

As they expand from their current bases in Chatham and Gillingham Peter Norris, managing director, said: “As brokers of yachts and motorboats, we’re thrilled to be moving into our new waterside offices on the Marina Curve in Dover.

"This beautiful spot on the seafront amongst the recognisable surroundings of Kent’s White Cliffs is an ideal location to expand our operations from and we look forward to doing business across the wider South East region from our new base in Dover.”

Opening in 2021, the Marina Curve delivered a large new outdoor space as part of the transformation of the waterfront.

A 90-room motel and a restaurant, bar and swimming pool has been approved for the area too.

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