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| BRUCE & CO | Scotland's Business Sales Specialists |
Newsletter
| ISSUE 78 | 1st February 2012 |
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A TOUCH OF ROYALTY FOR YOUR OWN
A stunning home and restaurant with a little bit of a Royal connection is for sale with Bruce & Co – and those interested are encouraged to view early.
With ‘Royal fever’ engulfing the UK ever since the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton last year, it seems everyone wants their own slice of the monarchy. So at 8 miles distance from the Royal Family’s residence at Balmoral Castle, The Auld House and The Gathering Place Restaurant is sure to be extremely popular with potential buyers.
The picturesque village of Braemar, where the business is located, is also a village that gained great favour with Queen Victoria, and still enjoys Royal Patronage today.
The Royal connection aside, the Auld Bank House is a beautiful historic granite building with the adjacent Gathering Place Restaurant to one side. The restaurant itself is incredibly popular and booking is often essential, although it can comfortably cater for around 50 covers. Beautifully presented, it is spacious and bright with the conservatory windows and glass atrium generating an abundance of natural light. The restaurant has tiled flooring, rich warm décor and spotlighting and benefits from under floor heating. furniture comprises of modern leather chairs around wooden tables and the room boasts a striking central gas fire. Clients flock to sample the freshly produced and exciting dishes, and the restaurant has over 1000 positive reviews on its website at http://www.the-gathering-place.co.uk
The Auld Bank House is believed to have once been the home of the local bank manager – historically an incredible prestigious position to have held. The 3/4 bedroomed house is built over 3 levels and has an elegant open feel from the uniquely designed angular upper hall- but perhaps its most striking feature is perhaps its stunning historic stained glass window adjacent to the elegant bespoke staircase. All rooms in the house enjoy high ceilings and an air of grace and spaciousness.
We have also been informed that the garden area to the side of Auld Bank House has planning permission granted for a 2 bedroom house.
The property is surrounded by stunning scenery and the village has lots to offer visitors including hill walking (to suit all abilities), fishing, its own golf course and many places of beauty and interest within a short travelling distance including the world famous Lochnagar and in close proximity to Glenshee Ski Centre. In high and low season the village is abundant with tourists and local visitors, and The Highland Gathering Games take place within a stone’s throw of the restaurant.
This is an excellent lifestyle business suited to a husband and wife team who can run the business on a hands-on basis in order to maintain high profit levels. Currently, the business is only open 5 days per week from 6.00pm - 9.00pm, evenings only (due to the owners’ lifestyle requirements). This provides potential new proprietors with huge potential to expand the business hours to allow for the significant tourist and regular local trade during the day including day-trippers, coaching parties and the shooting/golfing fraternity. There exists huge scope to increase income substantially and thus benefiting from the many visitors who flock to Braemar during the day, as well as capitalising on the Restaurant’s already established popularity and reuptation.
The current proprietors desire to sell is reluctantly due to their relocation back to Edinburgh for family reasons.
Offers of £495,000 are sought for the heritable property, fixtures, fittings and goodwill. Stock in trade will be additional at valuation.
GIN IN TEACUPS
A coffee shop on the market with Bruce & Co can offer you a little something extra with your Café Latte as it has a full alcohol licence.
The Little Treat in Dalbeattie has been owned by the current owners for 20 years, but was established many years before then. Forming an integral part of the community, the business is considered a “second home” to many locals, and repeatedly receives rave online reviews. It has a loyal local customer base, but also benefits from the passing trade of tourists and day trippers.
The Coffee Shop and Restaurant previously offered food in the evenings, but the current owners have had to cease this aspect of the business due to ill health. A previously lucrative venture with strong demand, the new incumbents could resume this service to maximise turnover.
The shop itself boasts a high street location and comprises 50 seat covers, a bar, and a coffee service counter.
Bruce & Co’s Lewis Murphy commented: “There is potential to grow this long established business with the re-introduction of evening meals, as well as further utilizing the alcohol licence.
Ideally suited to either a lifestyle buyer or an experienced operator, this is a turnkey business at the heart of the Dalbeattie community, which will ultimately afford the new incumbents an excellent way of life.”
Offers Over £150,000 are sought for the heritable property, fixtures, fittings and goodwill.
POST OFFICE FOR SALE AFTER 13 YEARS
A Glasgow Post Office said to be in “true walk in condition” has come to the market with Bruce & Co.
Millerston Post Office occupies a commercial location in the well-populated Millerston district, located north of the River Clyde in the East End and close to the Fort Shopping Centre.
The business has been owned by the vendors for the past 13 years, and has come to the market due to their impending retirement. The business trades with a post office salary of around £35,000 and retail sales around £12,000 per annum. There is also scope for the new owners to exploit the available space for the selling of further retail products.
Service areas include a double secure serving point, independent shelving units lining all of the available sales space, a good sized greeting card display unit and a number of free standing gondola units around the sales floor. With every available space being utilized for return the current owners have developed an extensive range of products for sale.
Beyond the post office counter lies a well managed stock room and staff WC. Subject to the appropriate planning being granted, this area could be used to further enhance the square footage available on the main sales area and increase sales.
Bruce & Co consider Millerston Post Office “an excellent opportunity to purchase a busy and profitable Freehold business within a well placed out of town community.” Offers over £124,995 are sought.

