IBTC Portsmouth to close

IBTC Portsmouth has taken the “painful decision” to close next year after a review of the boat-building training college.

Boathouse 4, where the college has been based, is not a ected by the college’s closure. It is home to a collection of historic wooden boats owned by the Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust, maintained by volunteers and sta , and “will remain a hive of activity”.

A statement about the closure of the college, which is also independent of IBTC Lowestoft, said: “Since we opened our doors in 2015 we have trained over 100 students. Many have gone on to forge careers in boatbuilding, boat restoration, and allied industries; preserving traditional skills for future generations. We are immensely proud of their success and our small part in it. The decision to close has been a very di cult one to make and has not been taken lightly. Rising costs and falling students numbers have made it impossible to continue. Our current students will graduate as planned, but no more students will be enrolled and the college will close completely in March 2023.”

The statement pointed potential future students in the direction of the IBTC Lowestoft and the Boat Building Academy in Lyme Regis.