NEW moorings have been created in March in a bid to attract more visitors and bring extra income into the town.

The March Moorings, near the Marylebone Bridge in West End Park, can take five boats at a time. They are the fruit of two years’ work by the community-based March Area Regeneration Development Trust (MARDTL), supported by Fenland District Council and other organisations.

Speaking at the official opening this month, Councillor Chris Seaton, FDC’s portfolio holder responsible for economic development and tourism, said: “The Trust has done a terrific job in bringing this project to fruition. Tourism is vitally important to Fenland’s economic regeneration and our waterways are one of our main attractions.

“I’m sure these moorings will be very well used both by local people and by many visitors.”

MARDTL had identified the waterways running through the town as a key resource that could be developed to attract more visitors to March and encourage them to spend longer there.

March is part of the Fenland Waterway Nene-Ouse Navigation Link which is used by more than 1,000 pleasure boats each year. Use of the new moorings is free but the British Waterways Commission estimates that each person berthing in a place is likely to spend up to �20 per day locally.

A new tourist information board has also been installed alongside the moorings to encourage boaters to visit other Fenland attractions.

Fenland District Council has provided �2,000 for the project and helped MARTDL secure other funding from Awards for All (�10,000) and the Fens Adventurers (�9,515). The Fens Adventurers’ grant came from the European Union via the Rural Development Programme England.