This grant from the Lottery Heritage Fund is reported by the BBC H2O show. The centre will open its doors to the public and begin training in April 2015, run buy the naval base trust and a new branch of the International Boatbuilding Training College (IBTC). Congratulations to them.
It should be a fascinating place to visit, not unlike the Hermione exhibition in Rochefort (France) where they are building a full scale frigate. There one can see an old foundry fashioning ironwork, a joiners shop making gigs, ships wheels, gun carriages, and spars. If the new facility is anything like as good as Rochefort, it will add greatly to he depth of the Portsmouth heritage experience.
Perhaps we should all campaign for equivalent support for the Cowes Classic Boat Museum which may face an uncertain future because of the redevelopment of E Cowes.
Solent Protection Society 