Eel Pie Island’s Boatyards are part of the rich heritage and culture of the Thames at Twickenham and the local community.

We wish to protect Twickenham's working waterfront which gives the area it's character and provides employment.

• Many hundreds of boatyards once existed along the tidal shores of the Thames between Wapping and Teddington Lock. Today less than twenty remain along that same stretch of river. Nine of these are in the Borough of Richmond, including the Eel Pie Island sites which currently house four separate businesses. The threat of re-development for residential use is ever present.

• The essential infrastructure of slipways, hardstanding, docks and wharfs are what makes the boatyards viable. They provide river related industry in the heart of Twickenham and create an ever-changing vibrant visual environment for the public. Current planning guidance offers a degree of protection, but these sites need heritage status to ensure they remain active and functional for future generations.

Our campaign is to crowd fund raise £6,000.00 for an enhanced and fast track application to Historic England to gain Heritage Asset Status for the boatyards on Eel Pie Island.

What are our goals?

• Protect current riparian knowledge and skills to run a boatyard and maintain craft on the river from large trip boats and barge conversions to recreational craft.

• Develop apprenticeships schemes to keep an able workforce of boat builders, boat operators, marine engineers.

• Protect the existing community of creative people painters, potters, glass artists, sculptors, designers and their studio and workshop spaces nestled in around the working boatyards.

• Promoting small start-up businesses and a self-employed workforce.

• Develop innovative initiatives for River transport due to climate change.

• Inform potential developers that the local community is committed to keep employment land over residential land.

• Keep the vibrant and rich culture of Eel Pie Island and all the activities on the Island thriving, adapt and grow together as a community.