Warship Management Ltd

February 2006

Warship Preservation Trust goes into liquidation

June 2006

A.B.P. agrees to berth Plymouth at Trinity Pier, Millbay docks and negotiations for Plymouth’s purchase commence with the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company.

September 2006  

HMS Plymouth Preservation trust inaugural meeting.

October 2006

Warship Management Ltd. Formed.

October 2006

Trust members and investors visit ship.

December 2006

Trust business plan delivered to A.B.P. who has just appointed a new port manager.

January 2007

A.B.P. rejects the trusts proposal stating the reason of a previously unmentioned multi million pound redevelopment of Trinity by the University of Plymouth, set to begin in October that year.

WML begin the search for another berth.

February 2007

Falmouth deputy harbourmaster states possible interest in a berth but only for the week of the Falklands celebration week.

After an initial enthusiastic response Plymouth turned is down by Portland Port.

March 2007

WML have meeting with S.W.R.D.A. and are told that ‘Tourist projects supported by them have not performed well and as such they would not consider any support for H.M.S. Plymouth’. They also refused to offer support for the project in words or principle.

April 2007

Elphinstone quay in the heart of Plymouth’s historic Barbican suggested as a berth, plans are drawn up.

Our interest in the site stimulated interest from an international firm of architects, specialising in historic buildings and the tourism marketing company that advised on the marketing of the Royal Palaces and the House of Commons.

May 2007

Nearby Commercial wharf suggested by the former harbourmaster as a better alternative, a suggestion mooted 20 years earlier but the council will not pause plans for a new pontoon at the site.

A.B.P. Cardiff declines the opportunity to berth Plymouth.

June 2007

WML meet with Nigel Godefroy M.D. of Sutton Harbour Holdings together with various council officers, the deputy Queens Harbourmaster, representatives of G.H.K. (architects) and The Petersham Group (tourism marketing). I became obvious the S.H.G. has a long term interest in both quays and the ‘council’ speak in their favour. S.H.G. cannot currently develop the sites due to an act of parliament. P.C.C. is actively trying to get the act repealed.

October 2007

Lord Owen makes contact and states his interest in the project.

November 2007

Initial contact with John Howard regarding Howard’s Quay’.

Harbourmaster rejects the idea out of hand.

Lord Owen visits Plymouth.

March 2008

Cattewater Harbour Commissioners consent to using Howard’s quay as a site for Plymouth.

Naval Base Commander commissions a survey on Plymouth in an effort to block berthing at Howard’s Quay.

October 2008

WML commissions naval architects report that proves she can ‘take the mud’ with a wide safety margin.

HMS Plymouth Association annual holds its annual re-union in Plymouth for the first time and makes the decision to come back next year. The usual venue in Liverpool.

November 2008

Negotiations with John Howard end, project can’t sustain his costs.

Lord Owen asks the Naval Base Commander for a space in the now almost empty South yard only to discover that the only viable dry dock has now been flooded and its gates removed stating: ‘they cannot find a berth in South or North yard’.

December 2008

An informal approach to Babcock Marine (Plymouth) is rejected.