Offers Over 135,000 (Freehold) The Garrison Gift Shop & Café, Harbour House, Shore St, Helmsdale, KW8 6JZ

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1 Offers Over 135,000 (Freehold) The Garrison Gift Shop & Café, Harbour House, Shore St, Helmsdale, KW8 6JZ

2 Charming café and gift shop situated by the harbour in the historic fishing village of Helmsdale Prominent trading location in a splendid coastal setting within a popular tourist destination Simple business operation set to around 30 seats and spacious retail sales area extending to circa 96m2 Service areas / facilities include a small kitchen and WCs plus a burger van Extensive first floor storage area extending to m2 offering development potential (planning permission awaited) for a 2-bedroom residential unit (Ref: 17/04453/LBC dated 2 nd Oct 2017) Ample on-road parking and external seating area to the front aspects

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4 DESCRIPTION The Garrison is a quirky lifestyle business set within a semi-detached harbour front property, dating from the mid-1800s. Set in an easy-to-locate trading position within the village of Helmsdale, the café and shop benefit from a stunning coastal outlook. Both the café and retail aspects are deceptively spacious offering a flexible trading space providing excellent scope for further business development. Situated on the ground floor with street level access, both aspects provide a total net internal area of c96m2. The building has a second floor which offers development opportunity (planning decision awaited) to provide a 2-bedroom accommodation unit which could be used for resident operators or as a holiday rental unit. REASON FOR SALE The building was purchased by the vendor in 2016 and it is due to a change of family circumstances that brings this desirable business to the market. TRADE Currently operating year-round, the business generates income mainly from the sale of beverages and snacks but is becoming a more established destination venue for those looking for gifts and knitwear items. There is a demand from local residents and the influx of tourists during the main season (Apr Oct) meaning there is scope to trade to a higher level. Within the main season there may also be demand for opening 7 days a week, plus an evening meal service or an increase in the range of catering options available. The present configuration of the café allows for up to 30 customers but there is some capacity to increase covers by reconfiguring the layout of the retail aspects. This new business is generating a sound reputation locally and there is scope to increase trade further with greater marketing etc. The business is located on the North Coast 500 which is drawing an increasing number of visitors to the Highlands.

5 LOCATION Helmsdale is a Sutherland coastal village steeped in history and with a strong maritime tradition. The village boasts a good level of local amenities for both visitors and residents. The area has an association with Viking history and attracts a great many tourists. The village is renowned for its gold panning at Kildonan and the Timespan visitor attraction depicts the regions diverse history. The village has approximately 750 inhabitants and is one of the main centres of population in Sutherland. It also has an excellent links golf course and is in easy reach of the famous course at Royal Dornoch which lies to the south. The region is also renowned for its whisky production, with distilleries in Brora, Wick and Tain. Slightly further afield the Falls of Shin and Dunrobin Castle provide an interesting day out. Touring and genealogy are other favourite pastimes, together with the prospect to visit nearby Scottish castles and other historic sites. These attractions combined with the varied natural scenic beauty of the surrounding area make it highly popular with a wide range of visitors and tourists. For the outdoor enthusiast the Highlands of Scotland are famous for spectacular scenery and rugged mountains, a reputation which is comfortably upheld by Helmsdale. The wonderful un-spoilt scenery of the famous coastline and surrounding hills combine to make this a most attractive area. For walkers the beautiful Sutherland terrain offers varied degrees of challenge from the more leisurely hillwalking to more stretching mountaineering. A wide range of birdlife attracts the ornithologist and the area has a huge appeal to the naturalist. The local rivers appeal to large numbers of sports fishermen looking to net trout or salmon. Additionally, in the vicinity there are many self-catering accommodation providers, hotels and guest houses whose patrons in-turn generate trade for all the services supported by The Garrison.

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7 THE PROPERTY The building is a 2-storey property of stone construction under a front to back slope roof dating from the mid- 1800s. From a prominent roadside location adjacent to the harbour, the business has a prominent and wellsigned frontage with street level access. The customer entrance is via a conservatory through French doors which is set to free-standing tables and chairs plus sofas. A doorway opening leads to the main customer area which has a servery and a range of retail display units. There are also tables and chairs. To the left is a further room set with retail items. To the right of the main sales area are customer WCs and a kitchen area. The total internal aspects of the café and retail spaces etc. extend to c96m 2. GROUNDS The Garrison is a substantial property with a large footprint. The subjects extend towards the full frontage of the whole building and there are tables and chairs for customer use to the front. The subjects are bounded by a stone wall to the front elevation. Customer parking is by public parking spaces immediately opposite the café; there is private parking to the rear. There is a mobile catering van which is also on site and is included in the sale price. SERVICES The property benefits from mains electricity, water and drainage. The business is fully fire compliant, meets all environmental health requirements and has Wi-Fi. The property is in a transitional period and as such new owners may wish to invest into the development of the property as detailed in the planning referred to previously. The customer areas are set to tables and chairs to comfortably seat 30 covers; there is undoubted scope to expand seating capacity should new owners wish to do so. The small kitchen provides an adequate area to prepare basic café fayre but the current owners also use a burger van as a food preparation platform. The first-floor unit is currently used for general and personal storage. The approximate internal area is 111m 2. Access to this unit is via external concrete steps. OWNER S HOUSE There is currently no residential accommodation with this property but there is an extant application to develop the second floor to residential accommodation as previously outlined.

8 EPC RATING The Garrison has an EPC rating of tbc. WEBSITE The business does not currently have a website and this may be an area of development that new owners may wish to explore. The Garrison does have a Facebook page. TRADE Trading figures will be made available to seriously interested parties post viewing. PRICE Offers Over 135,000 are invited for the freehold interest of the business. Stock to be purchased by independent valuation. RATES The business has a rateable value of 4,000 as at 2017 attracting a 100% discount under the small business bonus scheme for qualifying applicants. FINANCE & LEGAL SERVICES ASG Commercial Ltd is in touch with several lenders who provide specialist finance to the hospitality trade. Paul Hart (Director Commercial Sales) will be delighted to discuss your financing requirements with you and make an appropriate introduction. We have access to a large team of legal experts who can act in all legal matters arising to include conveyancing and business transfers. VIEWING All appointments to view must be made through the vendors selling agents: ASG Commercial Ltd, 17 Kenneth Street, Inverness, IV3 5NR Tel: Mob: (Paul Hart) (Jackie MacGregor) E: info@asgcommercial.co.uk W: OFFERS All offers should be submitted in writing to ASG Commercial Ltd with whom purchasers should register their interest if they wish to be advised of a closing date. HOTELS GUESTHOUSES LICENSED RETAIL OFFICES INDUSTRIAL UNITS 17 Kenneth Street Inverness IV3 5NR Telephone