MILFORD Marina has retained its prestigious Four Gold Anchor accreditation following a rigorous assessment by The Yacht Harbour Association.

The scheme is a voluntary assessment programme which focuses on marina facilities, safety equipment and standards of service against over 80 criteria, in addition to mystery shopping exercises and a customer questionnaire. The scheme currently has over 160 participating marinas from 28 countries.

The report stated that ‘Milford is a very well operated marina in an excellently placed and scenic location. There are good transport connections and a wide range of shore side attractions for customers and visitors.’ The assessor was also impressed with good customer and community relations, a vibrant mix of commercial and leisure activity, and friendly and knowledgeable staff.

A highlight in the calendar this year was the official opening of the new lock gates at Milford Marina; a £6 million project to ensure faster and more frequent lock times for users. The Dock Lock project was part of Visit Wales’ Coastal Tourism project, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, to encourage tourism along the Welsh coastline.

Alaric Churchill, Marina and Docks Manager at the Port of Milford Haven, which owns and operates the marina, said “We are extremely proud of this achievement and always strive to deliver the highest levels of customer service. It is testament to the dedicated team at marina that the Four Gold Anchor standard has been maintained.”

“Not only does the marina offer excellent facilities and services, there is always something exciting happening on the shore side, whether that be themed nights at one of the local restaurants such as Halen Mor and Martha’s Vineyard or community events like Milford Fish Festival which attracted over six thousand visitors. Next year we’ll be celebrating the marina’s 25th anniversary so there will be plenty on offer to mark the occasion and attract new customers to this vibrant destination.”

Andrew Jagger from the Yacht Harbour Association, who undertook the assessment, commented “Milford Marina is to be congratulated on its high standard of operation since the last assessment in 2012 in order to maintain its Four Gold Anchor Award status.”