Muddy Waters was granted planning permission to be moored by Chelmsford Borough Council in 1999. The first and only restaurant on a barge floating on water in Chelmsford.


Click on any of the thumbnails to enlarge the photographs.

The hull superstructure and engine were built at Cole Craft Engineering at Long Itchington on the Grand Union Canal in Rugby and on completion the barge was transported down to Chelmsford and launched by crane in February 2001.

Once on its mooring, Vancouver Building and Maintentance fitted the barge out as a Victorian Steam Yacht similar to one that used to be moored on the River Colne at Wivenhoe.

Muddy Waters Restaurant was opened at the end of August 2001