The future of a Sheppey landmark is secure – at least for the time being.

Queenborough Yacht Club (QYC) aims to have the all tide landing, which has been closed since the beginning of the year, open by May.

The decision was taken by the club’s new committee which also wants to promote all types of water activities and arrange weekend trips for both yachts and motor cruisers.

But with little money in the kitty, the long-term future of the landing, which has served Queenborough for 15 years, is less certain.

Cash put by to pay for the cost of dismantling the landing – an option mooted last year – is being used to fund the remedial work needed to have it open by the start of the season.

Unless the club can obtain outside funding, such as grants or Lottery money, the scenario could be repeated next year.

Eddie Johnson, rear commodore at QYC, said everything was being done to preserve the club-owned floating pontoon for the community, including eventually bringing the harbour and landing under one management umbrella.

He said: “There are a lot of reasons why people want to see the back of it but there are also an awful lot of people who want to keep it.

“They look at it as a benefit to the town, bringing in money from visiting yachtsmen, it gives access to boats to the elderly and disabled, and is used by the lifeboat.

“It has always been the intention of most in the yacht club to do whatever we can possibly do to maintain it.”

Mr Johnson admitted club members could do little to prevent vandalism which has plagued the site and yobs who have threatened volunteers.

Last year police were called on a number of occasions after vandals stole dinghies, caused criminal damage to yachts, threatened and abused the club’s volunteers and ignored the signs prohibiting swimming.

In October they destroyed a boat and damaged part of the landing.

“There is very little we can do about it,” said Mr Johnson.