Rivers
Berths available
Diglis Waterside & Marina
Worcester, Worcestershire · River Severn
Prices on request
Liveaboard moorings with a pub or café in England
Moorings where the site says you can live on board, outright or by arrangement. Residential moorings often need planning consent and pay council tax; we show the terms as each site states them. Sites with a pub, restaurant or café on site or at the gate.
15 sites · 4 with space now · 1 with a waiting list · typical £3,803 a year for a 57ft narrowboat (£1,640–£8,477 across 7 published tariffs)
At a glance
- 15 sites: 11 on canals, 3 on rivers and 1 on an estuary.
- 4 of the 15 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Diglis Waterside & Marina, Shire Cruisers, Sowerby Bridge, Venetian Marina and Whixall Marina.
- Keeping a waiting list: Thames Ditton Marina.
- For a 57ft narrowboat, published prices run from £1,640 a year (Shire Cruisers, Sowerby Bridge) to £8,477 a year (Thames Ditton Marina); the middle of 7 is £3,803 a year.
- Longest boat taken: 21.3m (70ft) at Venetian Marina.
- Of the 15, 13 have electric hook-up, 9 a pump-out, 8 diesel and 2 visitor berths.
- Groups running more than one: ABC Leisure Group (3) and Aquavista (2).
Canals
Berths available
Shire Cruisers, Sowerby Bridge
Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire · Calder & Hebble Navigation
£1,640 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Venetian Marina
Cholmondeston, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch)
£3,254 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Berths available
Whixall Marina
Whixall, Shropshire · Llangollen Canal (Prees Branch)
Prices on request
Rivers
Waiting list
Thames Ditton Marina
Surbiton, Surrey · River Thames
£4,880 a year for a 10m cruiser
Canals
Alvechurch Marina
Alvechurch, Worcestershire · Worcester & Birmingham Canal
£4,460 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Grove Lock Marina
Leighton Buzzard, Buckinghamshire · Grand Union Canal
£4,603 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Mercia Marina
Willington, Derbyshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
£3,803 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Canals
Nantwich Canal Centre
Nantwich, Cheshire · Shropshire Union Canal
£3,243 a year for a 57ft narrowboat
Estuaries & tidal rivers
Swale Marina
Teynham, Kent · Conyer Creek and the Swale
£2,730 a year for a 10m yacht
Canals
Ashwood Marina
Kingswinford, Staffordshire · Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
Prices not published
Canals
Barton Marina
Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire · Trent & Mersey Canal
Prices on request
Canals
Devizes Marina Village
Devizes, Wiltshire · Kennet & Avon Canal
Prices on request
Rivers
Sawley Waterside & Marina
Long Eaton, Leicestershire · River Trent
Prices on request
Canals
Willowtree Marina
Hayes, Greater London · Grand Union Canal (Paddington Arm)
Prices on request
Compared: prices for a 57ft narrowboat
| Site | Where | A year, 57ft narrowboat | Liveaboard | Pub or restaurant / Café | Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diglis Waterside & Marina | Worcester, River Severn | On request | Liveaboards allowed | Yes | Berths available |
| Shire Cruisers, Sowerby Bridge | Sowerby Bridge, Calder & Hebble Navigation | £1,640 | Liveaboards allowed | Yes | Berths available |
| Venetian Marina | Cholmondeston, Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch) | £3,254 | Liveaboard by arrangement | Yes | Berths available |
| Whixall Marina | Whixall, Llangollen Canal (Prees Branch) | On request | Residential moorings with planning consent | Yes | Berths available |
| Thames Ditton Marina | Surbiton, River Thames | £8,477 | Liveaboard by arrangement | Yes | Waiting list |
| Alvechurch Marina | Alvechurch, Worcester & Birmingham Canal | £4,460 | Liveaboard by arrangement | Yes | Not reported |
| Grove Lock Marina | Leighton Buzzard, Grand Union Canal | £4,603 | Liveaboard by arrangement | Yes | Not reported |
| Mercia Marina | Willington, Trent & Mersey Canal | £3,803 | Liveaboards allowed | Yes | Not reported |
| Nantwich Canal Centre | Nantwich, Shropshire Union Canal | £3,243 | Liveaboard by arrangement | Yes | Not reported |
| Swale Marina | Teynham, Conyer Creek and the Swale | – | Liveaboards allowed | Yes | Not reported |
| Ashwood Marina | Kingswinford, Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal | – | Liveaboard by arrangement | Yes | Not reported |
| Barton Marina | Burton upon Trent, Trent & Mersey Canal | On request | Residential moorings with planning consent | Yes | Not reported |
| Devizes Marina Village | Devizes, Kennet & Avon Canal | On request | Residential moorings with planning consent | Yes | Not reported |
| Sawley Waterside & Marina | Long Eaton, River Trent | On request | Liveaboards allowed | Yes | Not reported |
| Willowtree Marina | Hayes, Grand Union Canal (Paddington Arm) | On request | Residential moorings with planning consent | Yes | Not reported |
From each site's published tariff. "–" means the site doesn't say. Prices change; confirm with the site.
Questions
How much does a mooring for a 57ft narrowboat cost in England?
Across the 7 liveaboard moorings with a pub or café here that publish a price, a 57ft narrowboat costs from £1,640 a year at Shire Cruisers, Sowerby Bridge to £8,477 a year at Thames Ditton Marina. The middle figure is £3,803 a year. Check what each includes: electricity, water and VAT vary.
What are the cheapest liveaboard moorings with a pub or café in England?
For a 57ft narrowboat, Shire Cruisers, Sowerby Bridge is cheapest at £1,640 a year.
Which liveaboard moorings with a pub or café in England have space now?
4 of the 15 told us in the last six weeks they have space: Diglis Waterside & Marina, Shire Cruisers, Sowerby Bridge, Venetian Marina and Whixall Marina. Each page shows the date they told us and what they have.
Can you live aboard at liveaboard moorings with a pub or café in England?
All 15 say you can: Diglis Waterside & Marina (liveaboards allowed), Shire Cruisers, Sowerby Bridge (liveaboards allowed), Venetian Marina (liveaboard by arrangement), Whixall Marina (residential moorings with planning consent), Thames Ditton Marina (liveaboard by arrangement), Alvechurch Marina (liveaboard by arrangement), Grove Lock Marina (liveaboard by arrangement), Mercia Marina (liveaboards allowed) and 7 more. Living aboard can need planning consent and council tax; ask each site about its terms.
Do I need a licence as well as a mooring?
On top of the mooring fee: of these, 10 need a Canal & River Trust boat licence, 3 need Environment Agency registration (Thames, Medway, Anglian waterways) and 1 need the navigation's own licence. Coastal marinas usually need none.
Broader
Run one of these sites? Tell boaters what you have free in a minute, no account needed. Update your availability