yacht moored at tower bridge today

Billionaire's £140m super yacht turns up at Tower Bridge and leaves Londoners stunned

The boat, named 'Kismet', is owned by billionaire Shahid Khan, who also owns Fulham Football Club, but some people aren't happy to see it moored on the Thames amid a cost-of-living crisis

• 18:19, 24 OCT 2022

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A billionaire's yacht stunned Londoners when it sailed up the River Thames and moored close to the iconic Tower Bridge.

The yacht reportedly turned up over the weekend and while some ogled at its scale, others slammed its presence amid a cost-of-living crisis as "insensitive", My London reports.

Posting a picture of the boat on Reddit, one person wrote: "Seriously, this thing showed up this morning and is moored right by Tower Bridge. It's the biggest boat I have seen here, any idea who owns it?"

READ MORE: ‘Time traveller’ warns 'hostile aliens will infiltrate the government for war'

One person replied: "Sorry but not me as I can barely afford heating, so how the heck do you expect me to own a million dollar super boat?"

It transpires the boat, named 'Kismet', is owned by billionaire Shahid Khan, who also owns Fulham Football Club. Shahid bought the club from former owner Mohamed Al Fayed in 2013.

The Pakistani-American tycoon also owns NFL team the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars will be in the capital on October 30 to play against the Denver Broncos at Wembley Stadium, perhaps explaining why his boat is moored on the Thames.

The boat is said to currently be on sale for the cost of 169 million euros, or more than £140million.

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Not everyone was happy to see it docked in London. One said: "Waiting for Just Stop Oil to spray paint it as well. Would be brilliant."

Another commented: "Think you should never show off such extravagance in a city with homeless people on the street."

Saying that, some Londoners claim they've seen better. "Gone are the Russian mega mega yachts, now come the toddlers," said one. "I mean, does this even have a helipad or two?"

Kismet, which means "fate" or "destiny" in Urdu, was built in 2014 and sails under the flag of Cayman Islands. It has its own swimming pool on board.

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Superyacht moored on River Thames with nightclub, spa & cinema on sale for £142.6m

• Caroline McGuire
• Published : 14:53, 21 Oct 2021
• Updated : 20:53, 21 Oct 2021
• Published : Invalid Date,

A SUPERYACHT belonging to a billionaire is moored on the River Thames, next to Tower Bridge.

The 308-foot  Kismet is owned by one of the world's richest men - the Pakistani-American Fulham FC owner Shahid Khan.

It has a very grand interior, fitted out with a grand spiral staircase, floor-to-ceiling TV screens, and surfaces of marble and gold.

The luxury vessel can host up to 12 guests in six bedrooms, while on-board facilities include a dedicated spa, a gym, and a cinema.

There's also a night club, beauty salon, and a basketball court.

Those wanting to make the most of the outdoor space can enjoy the jacuzzi, swimming pool, and a one-of-a-kind retractable outdoor fireplace.

The superyacht has previously hosted a number of A-List guests, including Beyonce and Jay-Z , who were spotted touring the Amalfi Coast in 2018.

Visitors need not even walk on board - it has its very own helipad.

It is now on sale for £142,579,227 .

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Its interior was crafted by Raymond Langton, an award-winning designer based in Bath, while its exterior is the work of Norwegian naval architect Espen Oeino.

Owner Shahid Khan , 69, is a businessman who moved to the US from Pakistan at 16 to study industrial engineering at the University of Illinois.

He made his fortune after working for and then buying Illinois construction firm Flex-n-Gate.

He is also owner of American football team the Jacksonville Jaguars and Championship club Fulham FC , and is a lead investor in US wrestling company All Elite Wrestling.

Khan's personal net worth is £6.45 billion and he ranks 94th in the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans - he is the 291th richest person in the world.

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Superyachts spotted in London

Related articles, superyacht directory.

The UK capital may not be quite as picturesque as France's sparkling shores or Italy's beach-lined coasts - but evidently, there's still a certain appeal among yacht owners as an increasing number of superyachts set a course for London. 

Scintilla Maris

This Friday (26 April), Scintilla Maris was photographed departing from Damen Maaskant 's shipyard in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The 45.6-metre converted fishing trawler has now completed her maiden voyage to London and is docked in Canary Wharf, according to BOATPro . Scintilla Maris ' ambitious refit project has earned her a nomination at this year's World Superyacht Awards in the 'Rebuilt Yacht' category. Works included reducing the yacht's 570GT to below the 500GT threshold and the installation of eclectic, loft-like interiors by Dutch studio Vripack .

The 49.7-metre Triton was seen moored near Tower Bridge in April 2024. She was launched and designed by Delta Marine in 2004 and was the largest composite yacht built in the United States at the time. Triton is best suited to worldwide cruising, deep-sea fishing and exotic reef diving, with an underwater camera in the bow and a lighting rig at the stern that "provides guests front-row seats for observing the ocean’s mysteries". A sonar and bottom-mapping system by Simrad can also photograph and 3D map the bottom of the ocean, easily locating any nearby wreckage. Interior highlights include a full-width master cabin with a sitting room, library, office and his and hers bathroom.

Bravo Eugenia

Oceanco 's 109-metre Bravo Eugenia has visited the Big Smoke many times, showing off a chiselled Nuvolari Lenard exterior and dazzling underwater light display. A sharp plumb bow and extended waterline make her one of the distinctive superyachts on the water, and she certainly cuts an elegant profile whenever she arrives in London. With her hybrid propulsion engine, she offers a quiet electric mode which allows her to consume 30 per cent less fuel than other motor yachts in her size class, making her one of the more eco-friendly yachts in the world . She was most recently sighted in November 2023 at Butler's Wharf Pier, Tower Bridge.

The 90-metre expedition yacht has been spotted anchored in front of Tower Bridge following delivery from Lürssen 's yard in Germany. Launched in February 2023, Norn has since travelled across the Baltic and North Sea, including a skirt around Sweden’s Skåne County and a brief stop in the port of Helsingborg on the 9 of June, according to BOATPro . Key features include an outdoor cinema and changeable-depth pool floor with dance floor illumination.

Prior to arriving in Canary Wharf, the 56-metre Benetti build enjoyed a cruising expedition in the cruising grounds from where she gets her name. Australia ’s Stefano Ricci lines and navy hull attracted plenty of attention along the Gold Coast, and the 2012 build has an equally impressive interior with three individual dining saloons. She was launched as Ulysses and later became known as Bash , and was formerly owned by two serial yacht owners.

Fresh from an Atlantic crossing that began in early May and a stop-off in Portsmouth, the 54.3-metre Amels yacht Revelry was spotted docked in Canary Wharf. The yacht has a textbook Tim Heywood exterior and interiors by Laura Sessa , as part of the Dutch yard's Limited Editions 177 series. She was launched as 4You in 2012 and changed ownership in 2021.

The 110-metre Kaos (ex Jubilee ) is the largest yacht to pay a visit to London in recent years. She cruised up the Thames in May 2023, stopping in front of Butler's Wharf and Tower Bridge to show off her unique blue exterior penned by Lobanov Design . The multi-award-winning yacht has a stellar range of onboard amenities, including an 8.5-metre pool, aquarium and a multitude of custom-designed pieces not found on any other yacht. At the time of her last sale in 2018, she was one of the largest sales in yachting history. 

The third unit in Benetti 's highly popular Oasis 40M series, named Phoenix , has spent a significant amount of time cruising the coastline of Great Britain. Since her delivery in 2021, she has paid visits to Southampton and Ireland as well as to Canary Wharf and Tower Bridge. Key features include the signature Oasis deck, which boasts a glass-fronted dipping pool and unfolding bulwarks. The design of this model was so popular it inspired a smaller 34 metre series, with Zlatan Ibrahimović buying the first unit .

The 49.1-metre Reef Chief was spotted docked in the heart of Canary Wharf in 2022. The yacht was delivered by American yard Trinity in 2009 and has been designed with entertainment at its core. She is crowned by a large sundeck with an exterior bar, shaded dining area and TV screen, along with a Jacuzzi. Ten guests can be accommodated in five cabins, which are styled in classic polished wood and cream tones.

The 33.7-metre Van der Valk superyacht Blue Jeans made her maiden voyage to London after departing the shipyard in the Netherlands. Her cool blue hull added a touch of brightness to a dreary London day, and she spent her time cruising up and down the river showing off her custom Guido De Groot exterior. The all-aluminium yacht is one of the builder's most complex undertakings to date and is home to a foredeck "chillout lounge" with sun pads tucked into the bow, a U-shaped sofa and a dining table that pops up from the deck.

Fresh from a comprehensive refit and extension, the 44-metre motor yacht Brazil paid a visit to the River Thames in December 2022. The yacht was spotted moored outside St Katharine Docks Marina enjoying some winter sunshine in front of Tower Bridge. She was originally delivered by Heesen in 1993 and was relaunched in October following an extensive refit courtesy of a collaboration between three Dutch firms – Snijders Yachts, Zwijnenburg and Dutchflows. Work was primarily focused around the stern area, where the yacht was given a new beach club. The yacht is listed for sale with IYC .

Slipstream was delivered in 2009 as one of two 60-metre models from French shipyard CMN , Both exterior and interior were curated by Winch Design and the British studio has given her a smart navy hull with a distinctive grey superstructure. She features generous living and entertainment areas with an outdoor cinema on the sundeck and a hand-carved 4.5-metre totem pole at the centrepiece of a feature staircase. Owned by Canadian businessman Jack Cowin, Slipstream is currently available for charter by Burgess .

Having recently completed a cross-planet navigation that included Norway, the Maldives and Australia, 62-metre Stardust was spotted cruising up the Thames and into Canary Wharf in July 2022. The Amels build was handed over to her owners in 2020, and is the first and only hull in the Dutch yard's Limited Editions 206 series. Interior design comes from Laura Sessa, while Tim Heywood is responsible for the yacht's distinctive exterior, which is characterised by long lines of circular portholes and a cut-out segment in the hull line. 

The 75.6-metre Boardwalk is one of the newer deliveries from prestigious Dutch shipbuilder Feadship , and she caused a big buzz when she moored up on the Thames against the backdrop of Tower Bridge. Her aft deck helipad, generous beach club and huge TV screens were on full display to lucky onlookers who were able to catch a glimpse of her. 

Delivered in 2010 from Lürssen, 60-metre Bella Vita paid a brief visit to London, where she was seen along Butler's Wharf, just in front of Tower Bridge. Launched under the name Katie Sue II , the yacht became one of the top 50 most expensive yachts for sale in the world prior to her sale in January 2021. No doubt her new owner is enjoying her Glade Johnson interior and well-equipped sundeck. 

The 55.5-metre Moon Sand made waves when she cruised up the Thames shortly after her delivery from Lürssen . The yacht has a number of innovative features on deck, including a recessed pool that can be drained and raised flush with the deck when not in use. The yacht's crisp profile and clean, soothing interiors are by legendary yacht design studio Bannenberg & Rowell . 

With her sky-blue hull and buttercup yellow exterior accents, the Abeking & Rasmussen -built 98 metre motor Aviva added some colour to the city when she visited. The yacht is home to an onboard paddel tennis court - the first of its kind ever installed - which had to be carefully engineered in order to create the correct level of bounce. 

Heesen's largest steel superyacht to date was spotted in London displaying her new name Lusine . The yacht hit the water in 2021 sporting a masculine exterior courtesy of Omega Architects and an interior by Sinot Yacht and Architecture Design . A glass elevator lies at the heart of the design while a touch-and-go helipad forward allows guests to come and go in complete privacy.

With her "champagne and caviar" interiors and two-deck video walls in the lobby, 95-metre Kismet is all about the wow factor. Her interiors are by Reymond Langton, while her exteriors are the work of Espen Øino and she features an impressive jaguar statue on the bowsprit. She marks one of the most expensive yachts for charter in the world , asking a cool €1,200,000 for one week.

Motor Yacht A

One of the most recognisable yachts in the world, Motor Yacht A is sure to have drawn the crowds in the UK capital with her unconventional design. The 119-metre Blohm + Voss was commissioned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko. Following the Ukraine war, the superyacht was moved to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where it remains to this day, according to BOATPro .

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St. Katharine Docks Marina

St. Katharine Docks, 50 St Katharine's Way, London, E1W 1LA

Mooring Cost

Up to 10m, £9.90 per metre per night - £52.10 per metre per week - £151.50 per metre per month

10m - 12m, £10.55 per metre per night - £55.45 per metre per week - £161.15 per metre per month

12m - 14m, £11.00 per metre per night - £57.70 per metre per week - £167.60 per metre per month

14m - 16m, £11.20 per metre per night - £58.80 per metre per week - £170.90 per metre per month

16m - 20m, £13.10 per metre per night - £68.90 per metre per week - £200.20 per metre per month

Please enquire about visitor berth prices for vessels above 20m

All berth prices are in £s and include VAT at 20% for further information and our Conditions of Mooring please visit skdocks.co.uk/marina

Electricity: Metered electricity available charged at 40.5 per kWh + VAT. Unmetered services provided at a fixed rate.

Catamarans may be charged at 1.5 times the standard rate applicable and space is subject to availability

Charter, commercial activity and high usage vessels are subject to agreement and a 25% surcharge

Pump Out: £35.00 per pump out

Winter berths Please enquire about our discount on berthing during winter on six month contracts (October - March)

Carbon Offset Programme A voluntary contribution of £1 will be added to the cost of each stay. It can be removed on request

Visitors cards. There will be a charge of £20 for any lost visitor cards.

Mooring Owned By

SKD Marina Ltd Tel 020 7264 5312

Mooring Location Ref

E1W 1LA | Latitude: 51.506123 | Longitude: -0.072374 | Grid Ref: TQ 17741 69210

Mooring Guide

Water & electricity at each berth; up to to 63 amps, three phase.

Washrooms and self-service laundry with 24hr access.

Mooring Info

St. Katharine Docks is located just downstream of Tower Bridge.

When approaching the marina during lock operating hours, and when Tower Bridge is in sight, contact 'St. Katharines' on VHF CH80 or via telephone. The lock operates 2 hours before HW and 1.5 hours after HW. Exact lock times can be found on our website. https://www.skdocks.co.uk/marina

If waiting for the lock, 6 moorings buoys are located downstream of the lock entrance and may be used by boats up to 15m. If these moorings are occupied, vessels can wait on the south side of the river.

When waiting to enter the lock crews should listen to both VHF Ch 80 for marina operations and to 'London VTS' on VHF CH14 to be aware of river movements.

Electricity is available and is recharged based on meter readings. Water and Wi-Fi are provided free of charge. Pontoon access is available using a visitor pass. Floating washroom facilities can be found in the East Dock of the marina and shore based facilities in the Haven building, beside the lock. Pump out facilities are available to visitors.

Tidal Times

* As supplied by tidetimes.co.uk .

London Bridge (Tower Pier) Tide Times forSunday, 26 May 2024

High Tide:04:17 (6.89m) Height:

Low Tide:10:36 (0.85m) Height:

High Tide:16:35 (6.55m) Height:

Low Tide:23:15 (0.72m) Height:

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TVM MANAGEMENT CO LTD trading as Thames Visitor Moorings. Company No. 10559803 Registered Address: Wey House, 15 Church Street, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 8NA UK | Tel: 07768 605841 | Email: [email protected]

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London's new £25m super yacht that's going to become the Thames' new party boat

The Dutch-built vessel will have space for 1,500 guests

• 18:02, 29 MAR 2022

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There's a new boat set to sail along the Thames this year. But this isn't going to be another one that you can just tap your oyster card to get on or sit and sip a simple pint on.

Instead, it's a sparkling 'superyacht' worth a whopping £25 million. Expected to arrive in London this August, the Dutch-built vessel is set to nab the title of London's largest floating company.

Titled Oceandiva London , it will have space for up to a huge 1,500 standing guests, or 600 seated, to attend all kinds of events including product launches, dinners, receptions and more. Guests will be able to hop on at various London locations, it is set for an official launch in autumn 2022.

At 86-metres long, the three-deck ship is claimed as a CO₂-neutral venue that will be powered by lithium battery packs backed up by mounted solar panels.

READ MORE: London's largest 'adult playground' is finally opening back up in Stratford

When Oceandiva London arrives in the capital, it will find its home moored at the Royal Docks. Then, dependent on the event, you'll be able to get onto the ship at Canary Wharf, Excel, Greenwich, London Bridge or Tower Bridge.

The Dutch-founded company, named Oceandiva, already have ships in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands and this one is set to be stunning.

The designs of how the London ship will look show a matte grey, long vessel, with lots of open outdoor space and a proud Union Jack flag waving from the upper deck.

Oceandiva's website describes the exciting new arrival: "Spanning across three decks, this unique blank canvas venue provides clients the ability to host sensational events on the river, whether static or sailing, in the heart of the City."

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Unsurprisingly, it won't be a particularly cheap place to to throw a party. The Evening Standard reported that the events company Smart Group has already started taking bookings with hire rates starting at a whopping basic of £27,000 a night.

For catering, Oceandiva will use their long-term partner Moving Venue. They have " unparalleled experience delivering bespoke, seasonal menus at expertly designed events".

Totally versatile, you'll be able to host anything from weddings to film premieres, conferences to fashion shows or exhibitions to award cermonies on board the ship. But you'll just have to splash out to make a splash in the Thames.

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Tower Bridge Moorings

Tower Bridge Moorings at Downings Roads are one of London's oldest remaining river moorings. Since at least the first half of the nineteenth century, the moorings have been used to accommodate a variety of craft, from commercial freight to historic barges, both permanently moored and mobile.

They are located just below Tower Bridge, on the south side of the river. Adjacent to the moorings is Reeds Wharf, a listed nineteenth century warehouse. Together with the other surviving former industrial buildings, it today forms part of the St Saviour's Dock Conservation Area.

The moorings along this stretch of the river would have been used in the nineteenth century to deliver cargo to the wharves that lined the riverfront and also for barge building and repair. Reeds Wharf itself was constructed originally to handle the grain trade from North America [1]. Photographs show the walls around the warehouses to be "coloured white by the continuous action of flour, grain, seeds, and other bagged foodstuffs which were the main products handled on this stretch of the Thames". [2]

Nick Lacey, who owns and runs the moorings today has explained that "they are known as Downings Roads because they were run by the Downings Family, which had its roots in this area going back to the 18th century." [3] The Downings used the moorings as a barge builders and repair yard, but also as a kind of carp-park for Thames lighters, which were like the "work-horses of the river". However, the Downings family "got into financial difficulties in the great depression of the 1930s and the result was that they sold these moorings to another barge building company called Talbots, who had another base just further down the river in Rotherhithe". "Talbots were still using the moorings when I first came to know them up until the 1960s." Nick recalls cycling around the docks as a boy when he lived in Bermondsey, "so I got to know quite a bit about the river early on." He later went on to buy the wharf next to which the moorings sat in the 1970s, with the help of a "consortium of people". By that stage many of the riverside buildings, including Reeds wharf, had become derelict and several were demolished. Nick explains that this was due to ''the advent of containerisation and the departure of the working docks from central London." Nevertheless, there was still some industrial activity in the 1970s. Nick remembers the nearby wharves receiving grains and spices and the neighbouring wharf made dog biscuits. There was also a spice mill and Nick recalls that one could tell which spice the mill was grinding on a particular day due to the smell.

When Nick bought the building the moorings were owned by NALGO, a trade union which is now UNISON. However, he recalled that they "had done very little with them apart from mooring a few barges from time to time on them, a few lighters". At the time Nick was living in the wharf building and began enquiring into buying the moorings. He explains that "over a period of about ten years I negotiated with them and eventually ended up as owner of them", this was in the early 1980s. Nick didn't acquire the moorings with any set plan for what he'd use them for but initially "managed to get hold of some Thames lighters and attached them to the moorings". He wanted to put the moorings to good use and explains that "even at that time in the 19080s there were a few people interested in the idea of living on the river", and so in 1985 the first residential boat arrived, a Humber Keel called UNITAN, which is still on the moorings today.

It was at this time in the 1980s that the area began to be completely transformed. Wharves were converted into shops, restaurants and apartments, as well as offices and design hubs. "Over a period, other residential barges joined" the moorings and "at some point" Nick "transferred the moorings themselves from my own ownership into a company so hence the Tower Bridge Yacht & Boat Company is the owner of the moorings and I run the moorings I suppose on behalf of the Nick developed the moorings over time, adding floating garden barges in the mid- l 990s, having found inspiration from an old lighter which had some silt in the bottom of it and had started to develop its own ecology including a duck's nest. Lacey said the garden barges were "based loosely on the idea of a floating inside-out London garden square." The seven barges that make up the gardens today each have their own character with unique plants and wildlife.

The process of acquiring the moorings was "very simple" according to Nick, in comparison to the legal disputes that came in the early years of the new millennium. He explains that "moorings are not something that are readily understood by the law", which has led to various disputes with the authorities. Where Lacey regarded the moorings as outside of the Local Authority's control, Southwark Council thought otherwise and issued planning enforcement notices which sought to evict them. Residents on-shore described those living afloat at Tower Bridge moorings as 'water rats', 'a floating Gypsy camp', and 'noisy eyesores'. Lacey appealed the enforcement notices. [4]

Barge-dwellers and members of the public, including the Star Wars actor Patrick Stewart, came together and opposed the enforcement act stating that 'nothing built before 1947 has planning permission because that's when the Planning Act invented it... Are they going to pull down Tower Bridge because it doesn't have planning permission?' Lacey added, however, that there had been noise complaints and 'we want to be good neighbours' and so sought to bring the community together to plan a way forward. Lacey won two planning appeals. The Planning Inspector added that 'the vessels on the moorings make a valuable contribution to views down river', and that while several provisions and changes must be made, the residential moorings 'provide a maritime flavour, which has not been lost through their conversion to residential use, in a location which is close to what is arguably the historic heart of our maritime consciousness as a nation.' [5]

Deputy London Mayor Jenny Jones said the moorings were 'a floating paradise with sixty-six residents and six children, all firmly rooted in the Southwark community and who add to the rich tapestry of London life'. [6] Lacey notes that the community is a "rich mixture" of people, a "Noah's Ark of professions" from a brain surgeon, carpenter, policeman, to photographers and even a tiger-keeper. The thing they all have in common is that they love the river. Teresa Lundquist, who has a boat on the moorings made a comparison to village life where residents are constantly exchanging favours.

Subsequently, in 2011 the Port of London Authority took the moorings to court on the basis that, contrary to Lacey's claims, there was no such thing as ancient mooring rights. In 2013 however the High Court decided that such rights do indeed exist, and that they are enjoyed by Tower Bridge Moorings at Downings Roads.

A fully working Dutch Barge, built in 1904 and moored at Downings Roads came up for sale in March 2015 at £250,000. Mooring and maintenance fees for this 25m by 4.75m vessel are approximately £10,700 a year which includes mains water [7].

The moorings have evolved into a vibrant community with more than thirty historic boats providing affordable homes and studios for over a hundred people around an infrastructure of floating gardens and walkways. Most of the boats on the moorings are historically significant, they include Thames Barges, Thames Lighters, Commercial Tugs, Selby Barges, a Humber Keel, and a large variety of Dutch sailing and motor barges which have come from all over Europe - some over a hundred years old. The moorings are also home to the Arts Ark, a communal barge where film screenings, bonfire parties and other gatherings are held. Teresa Lundquist explained that they are a unique example of alternative living and affordable housing in central London [8]. She explained what was really special about the Tower Bridge Moorings: "they are in the heart of London but you feel as though you're within in a tiny little world. You close the gate behind you walk out in the evening to your boat and you forget about the city, but it's still all around you. The ebb and flow of the tide and the washes from passing vessels add to the excitement afloat. The light changes from moment to moment, and no day is ever the same."

• towerbridgemoorings.org
• London's Changing Riverscape: Panoramas from LB to Greenwich, Craig, Diprose, Seaborne, p.187
• Interview with Nick Lacey, London, 11 April 2016
• 'Thames barge dwellers face the push ' by Hugh Muir, The Guardian, 27 May 2004, p.13 (Southwark Local Studies Archive)
• 'Victory for the Barge dwellers' by Euan Denholm, Southwark News, 16 September 2004, p.11 (Southwark Local Studies Archive)
• 'Houseboat owners set for argy bargy', IC South London, Friday 8 August 2003, p.18-19 (Southwark Local Studies Archive)
• rightmove.co.uk
• Interview with Teresa Lundquist, London, 11 April 2016

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Dallas Cowboys billionaire owner Jerry Jones' new £170million 357-foot superyacht Bravo Eugenia with two helipads arrives in London

• Lavish vessel boasts 29 bedrooms, requires a crew of 30 people and even has cabins for 14 guests to stay  
• The Bravo Eugenia superyacht was pictured cruising down the Thames as it arrive in London this morning  
• Boat is named after Jerry Jones' wife, is capable of reaching 18 knots and was designed by Nuvolari Lenard 

By Sebastian Murphy-bates For Mailonline and Alex Raskin For Mailonline

Published: 06:32 EDT, 4 December 2019 | Updated: 10:23 EDT, 4 December 2019

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The Dallas Cowboys billionaire owner Jerry Jones' new £170million, 357-foot superyacht Bravo Eugenia has arrived in London complete with two helipads.

Boasting room for 14 guests across seven cabins, it requires a 30-strong crew to man the vessel, designed by Nuvolari Lenard.

Built by Oceanco this year, the yacht is capable of reaching 18 knots and has a total of 29 bedrooms, according to superyachtfan.com and its interior was crafted by Reymond Langton Design.  

Bravo Eugenia is seen moored at Butlers Wharf, near Tower Bridge on the River Thames after arriving in the capital this afternoon

Pictured: The superyacht cruising through the Thames estuary in Kent as it made its way up to London this morning . Boasting a total of 29 cabins, the vessel also boasts two helipads and requires a crew of 30

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones purchased the 109-metre yacht, named for his wife, called the Bravo Eugenia. The yacht, built last year by Netherlands-based Oceanco, can sleep up to 14 people and is taken care of by a 30-person crew

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The Bravo Eugenia is pictured near Gravesend in Kent as it heads to Tower Bridge in central London, where it will be moored this morning 

This morning the Bravo Eugenia - which shares the second half of its name with Jones' wife - arrived in the capital, making its way down the Thames.

Worth more than £6,132,200,000 ($8billion), Jones had the boat engineered for fuel efficiency in the hope of being as eco-friendly as possible. It boasts a complete gym, Beach Club, pool, steam room, sauna and a garage. 

JoneJerry Jones named the Bravo Eugenia after his wife (pictured with the Cowboys owner at the Texas Medal of Arts Awards

Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 for a $140 million and immediately began the process of returning the franchise to its glory years of the 1970s.

Since then, the Cowboys have won three Super Bowls, Jones was named the NFL Executive of the Year in 2014, and the franchise is now reportedly worth over $4billion, making it one of the most valuable in all of sports.

Jones is famously fond of his ostentatious vehicles, such as ' The Elegant Lady ' team bus, which reportedly cost around $2million.

The bus was equipped with three couches, nine television screens, and host of concealed coolers, shelves and its Cowboys star-inlaid wooden floor, according to the  Washington Post . 

Unfortunately, the Elegant Lady was involved in a fatal accident in Arizona in 2016 when it collided with a vehicle that was making an illegal turn. 

Four people died in the collision, none of whom were in the team bus. 

The Cowboys were not accused of any wrongdoing in connection with the crash. Jones also reportedly spent over $1 billion on the construction for the team's current stadium, AT&T Field.  Jones and Eugenia were married in January of 1963 and have three adult children.

The Bravo Eugenia (pictured) has a complete gym and a generous and luxurious Beach Club as well as space for two helicopters to touch down 

The massive ship boasts not one, but two helipads, a large garage, and room to store heavy equipment on top of the other amenities, such as a sauna, steam room, massage room, pool and rain shower. And according to the press release , the yacht also has a ' a complete gym and a generous and luxurious Beach Club' on its lower deck

Share or comment on this article: Dallas Cowboys billionaire owner Jerry Jones' new £170million 357-foot superyacht arrives in London 

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'We're not going to lie down' — the houseboat residents fighting for their rights at Chelsea Reach

Property News

Long-term residents of the historic houseboats moored at Chelsea Reach are battling developers who they say are replacing them with luxury mega-boats

On December 19 2023, a hotly anticipated planning meeting was held at Kensington Town Hall.

Councillors voted unanimously that three new “apartment boats” on the historic houseboat moorings at Chelsea Reach were in breach of planning control . Then in February this year, a further meeting confirmed that enforcement action would be taken against the three boats.

To outsiders, this may seem an innocuous decision.

But for residents, who have been embroiled in an eight-year dispute with Chelsea Yacht and Boat Company (CYBC), which has managed the moorings under licence from The Port of London Authority (PLA) since 2016, this represents a potentially vital turning point.

“It was the first time that we felt that there was light on the horizon,” says Alexandra Pringle, a boatowner and 25-year resident at Chelsea Reach.

“We’re feeling more optimism; more strength. You need to have something to give you hope, and this really did. We’re going to continue this campaign. We’re not going to lie down. No way.” 

Background to the dispute

Moored just off Cheyne Walk , one of the country’s most expensive addresses, Chelsea Reach is a collection of 60 colourful converted barges and World War Two landing crafts with names like Spirit of Chelsea, Moby Dick and Maddalena.

It has existed since the 1930s, with some residents living at the moorings for more than 50 years.

Most are long-term residents, and, says Pringle, “quite old”.

“I can’t begin to describe how much I love it,” says Pringle, who is 70 and lives with her husband, Rick Stroud.

“It’s magical – it’s like another world. It has a lot of nature, a lot of light… It’s a beautiful, healing place to be.”

Peter*, a resident of more than a decade who wished to remain anonymous, agrees. “It’s a community that doesn’t really exist anymore — everybody knows each other on the moorings and people have lived there for decades. It’s a whole mix of different people.” 

But in February 2016, that began to change.

CYBC was acquired by husband-and-wife property developers Andrew and Charlotte Moffat. They had also purchased nearby Cadogan Pier in 2013.

By July 2016, the boatowners claim, CYBC had tripled the cost of a 10-year licence fee, with further increases to come.

Whereas a larger 75-ft boat would previously have paid around £37,500 for a 10-year licence, CYBC is now charging over £400,000, on top of increased maintenance and mooring fees. A 75-ft boat must now pay £17,925 a year in mooring fees and £11,948.25 in maintenance charges. Before, it would have paid £14,775 for both combined.

CYBC said it “proactively tries to work with any owner who is behind on their bills.”

Evictions at the moorings

CYBC also began to make cosmetic changes to the moorings, adding planter boxes “that you might see in an office block”, according to one resident.

In September, a giant billboard outside Cheyne Walk let out by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, had a sign erected that read: HOPE.

“It makes me laugh,” says Pringle. “I mean, what an irony.”

Just two weeks before the sign was introduced, eight boats were served with eviction notices. Together, the boats’ owners had lived there for an average of 24 years.

“The letter basically says: your licence is invalid and has been terminated,” says Peter, who was one of those affected. He says he was given two weeks to confirm that he was leaving, otherwise court proceedings would commence. CYBC deny terminating his licence and say that it expired at the end of its agreed term.

“It’s unbearable, really. Everybody’s home is special to them. These homes are particularly special because of what they are and the history that they represent,” says Peter.

“I feel robbed. It’s completely unjust.”

For several boats, this was their second eviction notice. In total, boatowners say that 21 of the 60 boats on the moorings have either been forced off or received notice since 2016. Matthew Whittell, 59, was one of those to leave the moorings.

Whittell had moved to Chelsea Reach in 2005 and lived on a Dutch barge called Broedertrouw II (“brotherly loyalty”) for 10 years until 2015, when he moved out of London and started renting out the boat. He planned to eventually sell it.

Like other residents, Whittell said he had been given an assurance, known as a collateral contract, that his licence would be renewed, although it was not formalised in writing. In any case, the previous owners had not refused licence extensions to residents who were willing to pay. CYBC denied that any such assurances or collateral contracts had been given. They said “each licence clearly states the length and its expiry date. Each boatowner freely entered into their licence, most with independent legal advice.”

When Whittell’s 10-year licence expired in 2020, however, a further 10-year extension was refused. Instead, CYBC granted five successive six and three-month extensions, removing his security of tenure. Eventually, in July 2022, he was refused a further renewal. Four other boats received the same notice.

“It was absolutely shocking,” says Whittell, who was up to date on all his payments. “I wasn’t given the chance to stay — I wasn’t even shown a number. I was just told to leave the next month.”

Four of the five boats, including Whittell, moved off the moorings, while one is contesting the eviction. For Whittell, who had been made redundant the same week, risking the costly legal fees wasn’t an option. Instead, he moved Broedertrouw II to Rochester, Kent, in October 2022. “We got very lucky, but obviously we had to pay to get it taken there. I can’t sell it or rent it there. It’s just parked. It’s really hard to find a mooring.”

“There is no automatic right to a renewal,” responded a spokesperson for CYBC. “CYBC has never refused a licence renewal where the boatowner has a contractual right to renew their licence.”

The mega-boats

Ultimately, residents feel that they are being replaced by the larger, higher-profit mega-boats, which were the subject of December and February’s planning meetings. 

“We’ve said from the beginning that they were going to follow the same model [as Cadogan Pier] of putting up rents so that people can’t afford to stay, and then kicking them out. They’ve used all sorts of tactics to try and get rid of the existing boat owners,” says Peter.

“It’s very clear that these evictions have gone ahead to make way for these mega-boats.”

Formerly used to transport rubbish down the Thames, the boats have each been converted into two luxury apartments by another Moffat-owned company and renamed Iris, Pacific and Zephyr.

Single apartments were listed for rent for £7,973pcm on CYBC’s website, while residents say that they have been advertised for up to £9,000pcm (£216,000 per year). They understand that further boats are in development.

The boats have garnered staunch opposition. Residents and local groups like the Cheyne Walk Trust and Chelsea Society believe they do not fit —visually and physically — with the “motley charm” of the existing houseboats and obscure views of the river.

But the boats are also controversial because Kensington and Chelsea’s planning controls do not seem to have been exercised in recent years, despite residents having to log planning applications for many years previously. There are not any planning applications registered on the borough’s portal since January 2017.

CYBC responded that it “follows the correct planning law for its moorings and always has done.”

In voting that the boats were in breach of planning control in December’s meeting, councillors acted in the residents’ favour — against the planning officers’ recommendation — arguing that, through intensification, they constituted a “material change” in the use of the land.

The decision triggered a separate investigation into the harm caused, and, on February 27, councillors again voted unanimously that the three mega-boats should be removed, opposing the officers’ recommendation.

Meanwhile, the PLA, which owns the moorings, has also toughened its stance. In October, it issued a Section 70 notice, which specified that CYBC was in breach of its licence.

A PLA spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we are taking enforcement action against the licensee at Chelsea Yacht and Boat Company.”

CYBC responded: “CYBC regularly communicates with the PLA and is not aware of any outstanding issues.”

It commented that the outcome of the planning meeting was “purely political and motivated by the upcoming elections”, adding: “The three vessels involved in this dispute not only adhere to the highest safety standards, but they are also the only boats on the moorings to comply fully with RBKC’s design guidelines.”

‘A community, not a commodity’

For residents, who have been campaigning together since 2016, the meetings represent a significant victory and show of support.

It has been a long-fought battle.

In 2016, 53 of 60 houseboats formed the Save Our Houseboats campaign , which aims to “protect our homes and pursue our rights to them, by whatever means necessary (within the law).” In 2017, they took CYBC to court, and lost, which cost the boatowners around £1million, including payments to cover CYBC and the PLA’s fees.

Undeterred, in 2022, the residents successfully contested the cost of mooring licences through a process called expert determination.

Nine boats were assessed, including Pringle’s, and it concluded that the market rate should be between £448 and £648 per foot for a 10-year licence – a fraction of what CYBC were charging. Pringle, alongside others, successfully reduced the cost of her licence fee from £500,000 to £46,000.

In February 2023, following the expert determination, 33 other boatowners requested licence extensions at the expert’s determined rate. Residents say that this has been ignored by CYBC.

CYBC responded: “The expert determination, which is now subject to a claim of negligence, undervalued the licences by 90% of their true market value.”  

CYBC stressed that their fees had been calculated with professional advice. “The valuers concluded that a mooring licence for 10 years should be in excess of£400,000…A 10-year licence in Chelsea adds significant value to each boat, but some boatowners do not want to pay for that benefit.”

They added: “This is an ongoing, highly commercial and orchestrated campaign against CYBC by a small number of boatowners.”

“There has been no change in the day-to-day business of the company since 2016. The company (and its forebears) have built boats and operated moorings at the corner of Chelsea Reach and Battersea Reach for over 150 years and we feel privileged and are committed to continuing this.”

As the situation has worn on, some residents have moved off the moorings and are renting out their boats.

“It made me realise, that the sooner I can get away from here, the better,” says one boatowner, whose neighbour was served an eviction in September. “I will stay through lack of choice. And I will stay because it’s lovely.”

For many residents, though, the difficulty of selling their boats without long-term mooring licences means that they feel they have no choice but to fight back. Otherwise, they risk losing their investment, and face potential homelessness.

“You can’t even say: to hell with it all,” says Whittell, who is still on the campaign’s committee, despite no longer living on the moorings. “Once you have left, your ability to fight your corner is significantly diminished.” 

His boat alone is worth around £100,000, but he says similar boats on the moorings were regularly valued at around £700,000, potentially leaving him at a huge loss. “Boats have none of the basic legal protections of houses. Therefore, somebody like CYBC can simply tell people to go, and you have almost no way to respond.”

“There’s nowhere for us to go,” Peter adds. “People bought their boats for the same price as a house. It is literally their life savings. They made those investments based on promises that the previous directors of the company had given. A whole market had been created by those promises.” 

For residents like Pringle, who are facing retirement and planning for later life, this is a particularly frightening prospect. “We’ve got another five years [on our licence], and then he will evict us,” she says. “I would like […]for us not to lose all the equity we have — to be able to go into old age and not be terrified.” 

CYBC responded: “Unfortunately, some boatowners have an unrealistic expectation of what their boats are worth. Boats which are properly priced to reflect the value of the vessel, and the actual length of its licence, do sell on the moorings.”

December and February’s planning meetings may have revitalised the boatowners, but for now, the future remains uncertain. It remains to be decided when the mega-boats will be removed.

At the moorings, residents are continuing to reject the new, inflated fees. Peter and the eight boats evicted in September are refusing to leave – and are prepared to fight their case in court if necessary. Others have licence renewals coming up this year and are unsure whether they will be able to stay, and at what price. 

“Once we’re gone, nobody can rebuild this. It arrived over 70 years ago, and it won’t be here much longer, sadly,” says one resident. “Or maybe it will – maybe we’ve got a fairy godmother out there, and magic will happen.” 

And so they wait, as hope flickers.

*Some names have been changed to protect residents’ identities.

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