THERE might not have been any "yo, ho, ho" or even a bottle of rum when Harriet Baldwin visited Upton Marina, but she took something rather more important.

Because the West Worcestershire MP was there to present an annual award to recognise the company’s performance. Upton Marina, which is run by Tingdene Marinas Ltd, having been awarded four "gold anchors" by the Yacht Harbour Association in recognition of its excellent facilities, operations and customer service.

Mrs Baldwin said: "It was great to be invited to present this award. Tingdene Marina is a superstar business and this is clearly recognised in this endorsement by the Yacht Harbour Association. The good weather over the last few weeks means that many more people are coming through the doors to enquire about renting and even buying boats and that is welcome news for us all. For every thousand pounds that is spent with the marina the local economy benefits by £3,000 so the success here is spread across the whole town."

Marina operations director Steve Arber added: “We're very proud to have received the Gold Anchors award as this recognises our commitment to excellent customer service at Upton Marina.”

The award is made after the Association carries out research among users and a ‘mystery shopper’ visit to assess the quality of the marina.