The Queen’s Jubilee barge, Gloriana, will not be housed in Twickenham after Richmond Council rejected the plans due to public objections.
Earlier this year the council was investigating a possible home for the Queen’s row barge on the site of the former Orleans House boatyard and dock.
However following a public consultation it was clear that the majority of respondents were opposed to Gloriana having a permanent home there.
Council leader Lord True said: “Gloriana deserves to – and I am sure will – find a home where she is welcome and can be cherished for what she is.
“Given that our own master boat builder, Mark Edwards, created her it was natural to explore the possibility of a home here in the borough.
“I would like to thank Lord Sterling, Foster + Partners, the Gloriana team and all those who worked to bring forward an idea for public discussion and consultation.”
Councillor and Cabinet Member for the Environment, Pamela Fleming, said: “It is a pity that this beautiful craft, which was conceived on our river, will not find a home here.
“She could have been a great asset to future generations in Twickenham and the whole borough.
“However, as the cabinet report in July showed we always acknowledged the significant issues to address on this site, notably in terms of preservation of character, access and the construction period.”
Speaking after the announcement on behalf of the Gloriana trustees Lord Sterling said: “We were kindly invited to work with Richmond Council on a study to assess the feasibility of building a permanent home for The Queen’s Row barge.
“Sadly, the consultation carried out following the feasibility study showed that there is opposition to using this particular site.
“We have therefore decided to explore further locations along the river.”
Image courtesy of the BBC via YouTube, with thanks
