Chi Marina - Spinnaker closing

[ChiPete]

The Spinnaker restaurant at Chichester Marina is closing on Sunday 7/12/14. The site had had a stay of execution until April 2015 but a technicality was found with their case forcing the early closure.

I have to say I'm quite gutted to see them go (and before you start, yes, I know they weren't to everyone's tastes).

The Spinnaker was part of our ''marina experience''. We loved the idea of being able to pop down to the boat and have a meal or take-out on the pontoon or before departure. Similarly, to arrive back from a trip and not have to cook is also marvelous. Plus the shop was very handy as well.

The Bloat House doesn't qualify as an eaterie, only somewhere for grockles to be fleeced and berth holders to be abused. So now there'll be no shop and nowhere to get a good meal in the Chichester marina site. Time to consider whether it's worth being an hour from the entrance methinks.

 

[NDG]

Does that mean the curry house will be closing? that would be a real shame, a great place to drop into after a trip somewhere or before heading out on a friday evening.

 

[fireball]

The Spinnaker certainly wasn't to my taste so I'm not worried to see it go. I did like the boat house - but the service is just so slow that it's beyond a joke (45-50 minute wait for a simple lunch isn't on).

 

[Seajet]

Seems like a major, major screw up by the marina ( I forget which lot run it ) - a place like that, especially as it's a bit remote ( very remote if visiting ) ought to be knee deep in a choice of places to eat, a la Port Solent; the days of the captive market and people putting up with it are long gone.

Edit; also, I asked on another thread but no reply, last time we visited Chi Marina 10+ years ago was with a female guest, and none of us were too keen on all the dark places in the shrubs & trees between pontoon head and loos, very poor for personal security, particularly women - this was at the security hut end, ie away from CYC; was it ever sorted ?

 

[Fourbees]

Chichester Marina is part of the Premier group (like Port Solent). At times we have been based there and have always appreciated The Spinnaker, in all its incarnations (it was run by Conrad and Jill when we first knew it). As for security/safety, the marina is so beautifully rural and peaceful that only a confirmed townie could feel at risk. It really is a lovely place. However, if the Spinnaker goes and the Boat House is not your thing, they do reasonably priced grub at the yacht club.

 

[KevB]

Never been a fan of the Spinnaker in it's current form, even more so when they put the dividing wall up between the bar and the tables. The perfect place for a restaurant in Chichester is Opals old office with great views over the marina, sadly I think the whole area of the Spinnaker and the offices are destined to become apartments.
As said above, the CYC do good food just not sure if you can go in without being a member or visiting yachtsman.

 

[Seajet]

Fourbees,

thanks for nothing ! We happen to live in the country, it's just common sense and consideration not to have female guests walking in areas with lots of dark hiding places.

I take it you don't know what and where I mean.

I have known the marina since competing in the CYC winter Snowflake dinghy series in about 1976.

I seem to remember when it first turned up it was called Spinnakers, and I know CYC, an early girlfriend worked serving food at the sloop.

As the Spinnaker is going, not much point mentioning that; there was the Black Horse which was pretty good if a bit of a walk / taxi, but haven't tried it since its being turned into some oriental emporium.

Not much use for a quick breakfast or lunch before setting off, is it ?

As I mentioned, a place like that would normally be expected to offer a choice of places to grab something to eat.

Edit, KevB, well we would be visiting yotties, from another club, but CYC doesn't really do what's required when setting off in a while.

 

[Fourbees]

I wasn't calling YOU a townie, Seajet! But I have never considered any part of Chichester Marina to be worryingly dark or secluded. There are security patrols and CCTV coverage too. I concede that it's possible that things have improved since you were last there, though.

Regarding breakfast, the Boat House full English is £8 and bacon rolls are £4 - not cheap, admittedly, but convenient enough. For an evening meal you can do well at Crouchers Country Hotel but it's a rather dangerous walk after dark (because of the traffic, not the baddies).

 

[Giblets]

Fourbees, I may be wrong but I thought than when I drove past Crouchers a few weeks ago it appeared to be all boarded up. Or was that Blues On The Farm?

 

[Seajet]

Fourbees,

OK I suspect things must have improved since our last visit.

Our lady guest we had with us on that occasion is no timid mouse, although petite she chased and caught a guy who had just stabbed and killed someone ashore at Brighton Marina when a liveaboard there, then went on to sail her boat to Barcelona.

We had been put on a pontoon towards what had been Opal, and there were seriously dark hidden areas; this might sound weird, better be careful here, but if one thinks from the twisted mind of an attacker it's a perfect spot, with showers marked ' ladies '...

It says a lot that when I shyly mentioned an escort to and from the showers the other 2 agreed.

Still if that's sorted now, great.

I haven't tried the Boat House, the prices sound just about OK considering the place, but might become a bit wearing if one was there for long.

While it's no doubt a nice arrangement for the Boat House ( who will have paid dearly for it I'm sure ) I do think one expects a choice nowadays, it doesn't have to be so many to choose from as to be confusing, like Port Solent !

 

[lupa]

I love the curry and hate the boathouse cafe. The food is cold, menu xxxx, staff are a joke, service rubbish, location wasted. Sooner that closes the better.

 

[Seajet]

Not a fan then ?

 

[nicho]

Perhaps I see the Spinnaker through rose tinted glasses, but I do mourn it's passing. When we first arrived at Chichester Marina some ten years ago, the Spinnaker was a nightly boozy meeting place with many other berth holders before disappearing to someone's boat to finish the night (much of which we could not remember the next day)! It was a VERY expensive pastime, with rounds costing £30/40 every night, nearly as much as annual berthing fees!!
It has of course changed a lot since then. We have returned to Chi after a five year absence, but have frequented the Spinnaker much less - it has lost much of it's atmosphere. I guess it will end up as a site for apartments, but we will be moving to our last marina (Swanwick) next year, when hopefully the building work there will have finished.

 

[Mark-1]

hate the boathouse cafe. The food is cold, menu xxxx, staff are a joke, service rubbish, location wasted. Sooner that closes the better.

I had to chuckle in the boat house when I got my coffee a bit cooler than suits my taste.

I had a second and asked for it to be piping hot.

The guy patiently explained to me that I was wrong to like piping hot coffee and their machine was designed to give it to me at optimum coffee temperature.

Then he handed me another lukewarm coffee.

Like one of Basil Fawlty's meek customers I paid up and walked off with my bathwater temperature coffee & sat down to drink it.

 

[ricky_s]

The Spinnaker restaurant at Chichester Marina is closing on Sunday 7/12/14. The site had had a stay of execution until April 2015 but a technicality was found with their case forcing the early closure.

I have to say I'm quite gutted to see them go (and before you start, yes, I know they weren't to everyone's tastes).

The Spinnaker was part of our ''marina experience''. We loved the idea of being able to pop down to the boat and have a meal or take-out on the pontoon or before departure. Similarly, to arrive back from a trip and not have to cook is also marvelous. Plus the shop was very handy as well.

The Bloat House doesn't qualify as an eaterie, only somewhere for grockles to be fleeced and berth holders to be abused. So now there'll be no shop and nowhere to get a good meal in the Chichester marina site. Time to consider whether it's worth being an hour from the entrance methinks.

We moved from Chi to Gosport last year and haven't looked back.

 

[Fourbees]

Fourbees, I may be wrong but I thought than when I drove past Crouchers a few weeks ago it appeared to be all boarded up. Or was that Blues On The Farm?

There is no mention of a closure on Crouchers' website, but I haven't been past lately. Both my boats (!) are currently at Port Solent.

 

[Wansworth]

Hope they don't close the laundry as well, what would we do on a wet day!

 

[ChiPete]

I love the curry and hate the boathouse cafe. The food is cold, menu xxxx, staff are a joke, service rubbish, location wasted. Sooner that closes the better.

I do lament that, from speaking to Spinnaker staff, at no time were the owners given the opportunity to bid for the Boat House site. I know you're never going to please everyone all the time but the Spinnaker did get many things right whilst the Boat House shows no sign of improvement nor any inclination to do so despite being open for 18 months and many many poor reviews.

 

[jimmyk]

I really like the boathouse. Staff always seem very friendly. I'm not a grockle as far as I know. The spinnaker was in a great location but they didn't really try very hard in my opinion. It was dowdy and a bit scruffy. Which normally suits me. The whole place just seemed run down and depressing. Boat house always seems much jollier. And the coffee is just to my taste

 

[ChiPete]

I really like the boathouse. Staff always seem very friendly. I'm not a grockle as far as I know. The spinnaker was in a great location but they didn't really try very hard in my opinion. It was dowdy and a bit scruffy. Which normally suits me. The whole place just seemed run down and depressing. Boat house always seems much jollier. And the coffee is just to my taste

Pleeeeease! Tell me your secret! Is there a Boat House "club" that, on presentation of membership instantly transforms the surly, ignorant muppet into a human with a passing interest in hospitality??? Is there a "lock in"? Do you get the ovens switched on when they prepare food you order? We deserve to be told