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A historic Royal Navy warship will soon house a yoga room, three music studios, and a cafe serving vegan food.
The ship, called HMS Tongham, was used to sweep military mines from shallow waters.
It has been bought by a civilian couple who will convert it into a commercial enterprise.
Features
The ship – now known as MV Tongham – was bought by professional opera singer Janet Fischer and her partner Chris Beer, a marine engineer.
Janet Fischer, who is the managing director of Fulham Opera, told Forces Network: “We wanted to keep something that works within its [historical] context… [so Tongham will] keep almost all of her original features.”
The pair have been restoring the ship, readying it for its new commercial venture.
Quirky
Ms Fischer, 35, said: “We both love the water and thought it would make a really interesting space that we could restore and continue to grow over time.
“It’ll be a bit of naval history for people to enjoy too. It’s a bit quirky and niche, and something you are more likely to find in London with the vegan menus and high-quality coffee.
“Our predominantly vegan-based menu will showcase the best of local ingredients but will still allow non-vegans to upgrade, or downgrade, depending on your perspective.”
Tongham will be permanently moored in Gillingham, Kent, next to the PS Medway Queen – a ship famous for playing a role in rescuing 7,000 men in the evacuation of Dunkirk, making a record seven trips.
The pair expect to open the coffee house for business from next summer.
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