Landmark Thames leisure site set to make a splash

A landmark site on the River Thames in central London has been put up for sale through Christie & Co. The agent has been appointed to sell a permanent mooring, occupied by Royal Naval base ship HMS President until 2016, for in excess of £1.7m. The site has potential to offer a major leisure venue. HMS President was converted into a floating events venue, with a licensed restaurant, bar and function rooms with capacity for 350 guests. The vessel was moved from the mooring in 2016 to make way for works on the London “super sewer”. The Thames Tideway Tunnel is due to complete soon, opening up the opportunity for the mooring to be brought back into use. The mooring is next to the new Blackfriars Foreshore, between Tower Bridge and Westminster, and is held by way of an annual river works licence agreement from the Port of London Authority. Alongside the mooring, the new owner will be able to construct a floating pontoon of up to 262ft in length. Simon Chaplin, senior director of corporate pubs and restaurants at Christie & Co, said: “We have dealt with a number of venues along the Thames in the past and know how popular they can be. It is often the mooring that holds the key and this opportunity gives new owners the prospect of either basing a new river service from here or bringing in a vessel to provide a hospitality venue such as a floating fine-dining restaurant or busy bar.” Photo by Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA/Shutterstock (7929164e)