Broom, one of Britain's oldest boat manufacturers, won't build any more new boats
Broom has announced plans to discontinue boat building in order to focus on the leisure side of its business.
The Norfolk based boat yard blames fast changing market conditions, low customer demand, overseas competition and rising costs for its decision to withdraw from boat building.
Instead the company will concentrate on developing its boat hire business as well as the marina and service operation it runs in Brundall on the Southern Broads.
Broom, which has a heritage stretching back to1898, has been a mainstay of the British boat building for well over 50 years. Its range of popular 30-50ft aft cabin boats are a common sight on inland waterways and coastal marinas all over northern Europe. Their reputation as comfortable, sea-kindly, solidly built boats ensures they are still sought after in the secondhand market. However, the fast changing pace of boat design and the death of its charismatic former
family owner Martin Broom in 2013 left the yard struggling to compete with its more modern series production rivals.
Broom 30
Recent attempts to modernise the range and return to its family boating roots with a new range of 30-35ft Coupes attracted plenty of praise but ultimately not enough sales to sustain the boat building side of the business. Broom has confirmed that a number of jobs will be lost.
