Boat Yard near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, February 2020

1. The History
Site of the former Nationwide Boat Sales Yard located on Sheffield Road at the southern edge of Unstone and 5km to the north of Chesterfield town centre. Nicknamed “Ocean village”, the business appears to have been established around 1984 and then closed down in 2005 with the site remaining abandoned since then. While open it boasted “over 300 boats for sale” with “one of the biggest boat sales yards in Europe”. The site which was predominantly used for the storage of boats was on the market with local estate agents Mark Jenkinson, with an asking price of £1.8m-2m. For your wedge you also get outline planning consent for 48 dwellings.

2. The Explore
Clocked this place while on the way to another explore back in May last year but didn’t have time to stop. Finally got chance to pop in. There’s not masses to see here but what few buildings the site has to offer have some nice decay and plenty of stuff left behind. It’s been left to nature for a good 15 years now so there’s some really nice natural decay and foliage encroachment. Plus, it hasn’t been completely trashed. Quite photogenic in the February sun especially given it’s all painted up in blue and white. Hence well worth half-an-hour of your attention.

3. The Pictures

20200202_123039 by HughieDW, on Flickr

20200202_123036 by HughieDW, on Flickr

20200202_122915 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Let’s start in reception:

20200202_122029 by HughieDW, on Flickr

It’s pretty far gone in here:

20200202_122047 by HughieDW, on Flickr

20200202_122050 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The next building up from reception:

img5547 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5549 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Surprised to see this in here:
img5556 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5553 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5552 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5551 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5550 by HughieDW, on Flickr

This is the cutest of the five or so buildings there;

20200202_122912 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5574 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5558 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And home to the only resident left on-site:

img5560 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5562 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And onto the final biggest building in the middle of the site.

img5564 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Loving this old computer:

20200202_122644 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And colourful trays:

20200202_122648 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Not a bad little wander in the end:

img5571 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5573 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5554 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img5546 by HughieDW, on Flickr