Millionaire gives his promise to help Loch Ness lifeboat crew
By Hugh Ross
Inverness Courier: 26/07/11

CONTROVERSIAL Lithuanian businessman Vladimir Romanov is backing plans to build a new lifeboat station on the shores of Loch Ness.

The Russian-born millionaire, who is best known as the colourful owner of Hearts FC, has pledged to support efforts to raise up to £400,000 for a new RNLI base close by the current station at Temple Pier, Drumnadrochit.

A former Soviet navy cook, Mr Romanov served aboard the K-19 submarine and took part in a commemorative swim across the loch earlier this month to mark the 50th anniversary of a nuclear accident on board the K-19, which killed eight crew.

The event saw a group of Russian submariners, including the K-19’s last captain Oleg Adamov, receive a warm reception from villagers in Drumnadrochit before and after the swim, which will be held annually.

It was during the weekend that Mr Romanov, who was wearing a Hearts jacket before his swim, learned that the RNLI wants to construct a new building and offered to help.

RNLI Loch Ness crew member Martin Douglas is delighted by Mr Romanov’s pledge to assist. The businessman has also invited the lifeboat personnel to attend a match at Hearts’ Tynecastle ground in Edinburgh as his guests.

“Mr Romanov’s assistants were very kind and said they would like to give us some support and could send us signed shirts and Hearts memorabilia to raise funds,” said Mr Douglas.

Fifteen volunteers serve on the lifeboat, which is responsible for the search and rescue operations on the loch. It was introduced three years ago when the RNLI took over the rescue operations of the Maritime Coastguard Agency.

The current station is leased from crew member and local resident Gordon Menzies. However, it is not ideal as the lifeboat has to be stored outside. The new building is proposed for Urquhart Bay harbour and would allow the vessel to be housed indoors and also provide space for maintenance and crew changing facilities.

RNLI chief executive Paul Boissier confirmed a new station was included in the charity’s capital programme when he visited Drumnadrochit recently.

“We are a very, very high priority and in the top three in Scotland at the moment,” said Mr Douglas. “It is likely to be built in the next one to three years and is estimated to cost between £300,000 to £400,000 and we will have to raise a certain amount of money.

“It has been on the cards for some time. We are absolutely delighted and very much look forward to the enhanced facilities. At the moment it is not ideal for carrying out maintenance on the boat because you can’t guarantee when you can do it because of the weather.”

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