Fears over the state of Friendly Forester lifeboat allayed as Haven reveals restoration work plan for 2022

Haven Holidays, which runs Thornwick Bay Holiday Park, has allayed fears about the Friendly Forester Lifeboat after people voiced their concerns over the ‘sorry’ state of the vessel.

Ian Fothergill, a regular visitor to Bridlington, said that the boat which returned to Flamborough after 34 years in 2017 ‘was currently sitting and rotting away at the holiday park and did not want to see it become a pile of wood’.

He said: “The Friendly Forester served Flamborough for a long time and saved many lives . It just seems a shame to see her in this sorry state.”

A Flamborough resident added: “A few people are talking about wanting to do some sort of minor restoration work, obviously not to make it seaworthy, just to preserve it. We are not sure why more hasn’t been done since it arrived home.”

A spokesperson for Haven said: “Having ensured that the Friendly Forester was brought back to the local area after over 30 years on the Isle of Wight, we are aware of the importance of the lifeboat.

“We were planning some restoration work, but this had to be delayed during the pandemic, both for practical and financial reasons as we had to prioritise safeguarding local jobs and reopening the park in a safe and secure manner for all visitors.

“We are committed to undertaking this work in 2022 and looking at ways we can best preserve the lifeboat with the wider community.”