Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth's new £200m entertainment, shopping and leisure waterfront, is cutting berthing charges for the winter in a bid to encourage south coast boat owners still to visit.

From October 1, winter visitors will pay £3 for a short stay of up to four hours and £1.75 per metre overnight. Longer term seasonal berth holders will pay £90 per metre per month, a large reduction on the standard monthly berthing fee.

The aim is to encourage sailors from Hamble and Warsash and along the south coast who keep their boats in the water all winter to visit Gunwharf Quays. It offers 65 designer shops, cinema, bowling complex, 20 pubs, restaurants and cafs plus a comedy club.

Deborah Owen-Ellis Clark, marketing director for Gunwharf Quays said: "We have introduced these cheaper rates as we want to encourage boat owners to continue to visit us by sea during the winter period. The summer months have been pretty hectic, but in the quieter winter months all the shops, restaurants and leisure facilities will still be open at Gunwharf Quays and what better way to come and enjoy them than by water.''

To comply with the Local Notice to Mariners issued by the Queen's Harbourmaster, vessels requiring overnight accommodation should book in advance on VHF Ch.80, call sign Gunwharf Quays, or phone on 023 9283 6732. Similarly, vessels requiring a short- stay berth must contact Gunwharf Quays on VHF Ch 80 before crossing from the Small Boat Channel in Portsmouth Harbour.