Young rowers determined to keep Brentford Boat Club going after losing their home at Ferry Quays

Young rowers from Brentford Boat Club out on the water

Young people’s rowing club looking for a new home

Brentford Boat Club say they are determined to keep the club going after losing their base at Ferry Quays in Brentford.

The club is a parent-led charity providing local children with the opportunity to learn to row and to compete at national events, but the site at which they have been based, “on a part of the Thames which is ideal for kids to learn to row as the water is gentle and not too crowded”, is owned by Brentford Community Boat House, with whom they are in dispute.

Paul Keane is one of two trustees of Brentford Community Boat House. He founded Team Keane and is credited with sparking a renewal of interest in rowing amongst young people in the area, but now there is a disagreement between the two over the ownership of the Club’s resources. Both sides have been to the Police about it, but the Police say it is a civil matter.

Parents say the Boat Club has been gradually “forced out of the space” over the past month, even though they were given no notice to leave and their rent is paid up to date.

‘On 27 December 2025 most of the boats insured, maintained and used by the Club, were taken away. On 16 January the pontoon was taken away which prevented the young rowers using the remaining boats. And on the same day the rowing machines were taken from the gym so that the teenagers could not do any land training either.

‘On 20 January a team of men began to dismantle the boat house at Ferry Quays. On 23 January all the remaining equipment, including boats that had been used, insured, maintained and upgraded by the Club were taken from the site’.

How the boat house looks now

The Club has also been using a gym space close by, also managed by Brentford Community Boat House. Most of the 90 young athletes are pupils at local schools and they come by bus after school to train in the gym four days a week. At the weekend they go on the water from the boat house, on both Saturday and Sunday.

“Ferry Quays is a really important part of their lives”, parent trustee Miriam Morris told The Chiswick Calendar.

The trustees of Brentford Community Boat House have now sent an email asking the Club to vacate the Pump Alley gym by the following Sunday (1 February).

The parent volunteers who run Brentford Boat Club are determined to keep the Club going ‘because they know the tremendous social, mental and physical health benefits of rowing for the teenagers’. Currently they are reliant from loans from other boat clubs in the area.

Brentford Boat Club members in the days when they had boats

Miriam told us:

“It is with many happy memories, and great sadness that the young rowers are leaving Ferry Quays. They do not want to leave, but for the time being they can no longer row from the site”.

“I like that my daughter spends time away from a screen doing physical exercise, outdoors, building friendships in real life, working as a team and being competitive”, added Anne, the parent of one of the young rowers. “There is a level of commitment and discipline involved which is valuable for teens, I’m sure it has contributed to my daughter’s good academic grades”.

“Rowing has brought discipline and focus to school work and we have seen an improvement in his school performance”, said Resh, another parent. “He has really enjoyed getting fit. I am so grateful to Brentford Boat Club, I think this may be the making of my son”.

The Club is in discussion with Hounslow Council to secure a new temporary site.

“It is hoped that in the future Brentford Boat Club will be able to return to a site in Brentford, but for now it is farewell to Ferry Quays”, said Miriam.

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