Luxury motor yacht builder Fairline is to officially launch a new dealership in Ipswich next month.

Fairline, which is based at Oundle, near Peterborough, already has a testing facility in Ipswich, and the Fairline East Coast dealership is to be launched at Burton Waters, at the nearby Ipswich Haven Marina.

The launch celebrations will be spread over the weekend of August 15 and 16, to coincide with the Ipswich Maritime Festival.

Fairline, which has been owned since 2011 by Better Capital (initially in partnership with Royal Bank of Scotland, whose debt it bought out last year) has built more than 12,000 boats since it turned out its first vessel, a 19-foot river cruiser, in 1967.

Its present Targa and Squadron ranges vary in size from the Target 38, which was named European Powerboat of the Year in the 30ft to 40ft category in 2007, to the Squadron 78.

Burton Waters is a family-owned business based in Lincoln, where it was established in 1988, and it has been operating a sales office in Ipswich since 2007.

Besides a sales suite, it offers chandlery, water moorings, hard standing, engineering services, and car parking.

A selection of Fairline models will be on display at the launch of Fairlinie East Coast, including the Targa 38 OPEN and the Squadron 42. The opening event is also being attended by a number of other businesses including Graypaul Ferarri which will have a number of luxury cars on display.

There will also be gourmet canapés and taster cocktails for all visitors, together with live music on the Saturday afternoon.

The Ipswich Maritime Festival involves a variety of events celebrating the town’s maritime history and in recent years has attracted more than 70,000 visitors.

It is organised by Ipswich Borough Council working in partnership with organisations including Associated British Ports, University Campus Suffolk, Ipswich Central, the Ipswich Maritime Trust, Ipswich Waterfront Action and the Old Gaffers Association.

For details of the festival programme, visit www.ipswich- waterfront.co.uk/ipswich-maritime-festival/ .