The Princess Royal is set to open the newly-built Hayling Island sailing Club on March 14.

The finishing touches are currently being made to the stunning buildings, which will house a new centre for sailing excellence.

Club members will be there to enjoy the occasion when Princess Anne, who is president of the Royal Yachting Association, attends the official opening.

Arriving by helicopter, she will be escorted round the building and meet key members of the design team as well as the commodore, Tim Hancock.

A keen sailor herself, she will then unveil a plaque to commemorate the occasion.

Visiting yachtsmen and women at Gunwharf Quays' £200m entertainment, shopping and leisure waterfront centre in Portsmouth Harbour, are to have their own dedicated club room and general facilities for the 2003 season.

The new Gunwharf Quays Yacht Club has been set up in the famous Old Customs House pub and is free to any crew member of yachts and motorboats visiting its berths.

Visitors will find an array of useful information, from tides and weather forecasts to events at Gunwharf Quays and in Portsmouth Harbour.

There will also be comfortable seating, the latest yachting magazines - and the opportunity to subscribe to some of them at reduced cost.

The beautiful Grade 2 building which houses the Gales pub was built in 1790 as the first purpose-built office block outside London. The building was originally used by Customs until taken over by the Royal Navy as the captain's offices of HMS Vernon, the name of the original site on which is Gunwharf Quays took shape.

A short distance away, near the site of the 560-foot Millennium Tower being built, are new visitors' showers, toilets and a launderette - access controlled for sailors only.

These new facilities will greatly enhance shoreside services available to those using Gunwharf Berths.With its 500 metres of prime berthing, vast array of outlet shopping, restaurants, bars, cinema and other entertainment, Gunwharf Quays will be a good sanctuary.