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Attractive café ideally situated overlooking Wick harbour on the North Coast 500 route
Easy-to-operate business model with all year around trade
Profitable 86 cover café supported by generous service areas
Offering four substantial and recently renovated en-suite letting bedrooms with harbour views
Separate three-bedroom flat/owners accommodation with potential to be used as letting rooms if required
Freehold
The owners accommodation is a spacious apartment and is a very attractive element of this sale. Access is private and at ground level from Saltoun Street, the door opens to a staircase which leads up to the first and second floor accommodation. The size of the apartment is exceptional with generously sized rooms and halls. The accommodation comprises two/three delightful bedrooms (one is currently being used as a dining room), a family bathroom, a walk-in store (this was a shower room and all the infrastructure is still in place if the new owners wish to convert it back), a WC, large kitchen and a comfortable lounge with stunning views over the harbour. Whilst this is ideal owners accommodation, equally this part of the property could be used as letting accommodation as part of the overall business. The owners have access directly over an enclosed flat roof from their flat to the 1st floor of the B&B.
The population of Wick is approximately 7,500 but with a much broader catchment area. Tourism is one of the main sources of income to the county in the main season with the locale being highly popular with walkers, cyclists, ornithologists and anglers and is a popular stop on the North Coast 500 route which passes through the town. The Wick Heritage Centre also provides a steady stream of clientele as this museum is a popular attraction, which attracts a high level of visitors and thus the location to Wickers World is ideal. The harbour itself draws many tourists who enjoy the location or take a trip on the inflatable rib offering coastal tours. The area offers a host of interesting archaeological sites and tourist attractions which include The Castle of Mey, residence of the late Queen Mother. Day trips to the Orkney Islands are another option for tourists. Caithness is also highly popular with people retracing their roots as the surrounding area has a long association with the Highland clearances. The Old Pulteney distillery, the most northerly mainland distillery, is a popular attraction and the harbour itself was substantially renovated a few years ago bringing both commercial and domestic trade into the area. The Pentland Firth area is a centre for renewable energy which attracts commercial trade to the general area. Projects such as the Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm site was set up to install and maintain up to 110 large offshore wind turbines.
One of the main towns on the North Coast 500 route, Wick is a great location to visit the many other local attractions along the A9 corridor and situated within the towns of Thurso, John O’Groats, Helmsdale, Golspie and Brora. In terms of infrastructure Wick is very well supported and benefits from Primary and Secondary education, good leisure facilities and communication links with a railway station and airport. Wick also has excellent medical facilities available locally.
Wickers World is a popular and busy restaurant / café with rooms, overlooking the harbour in Wick. The business is successful and enjoys a consistent turnover level, but there is still potential to increase this significantly by extending opening hours, opening Sundays and utilising the letting rooms more effectively. The area is popular with locals and tourists alike, and there is a further captive customer base from the workers involved with the offshore Beatrice windfarm.
The business comprises 3 distinct properties located within one building on the harbour in the Highland Town of Wick. The property on offer provides a rare opportunity to purchase a prominent, versatile business which enjoys spectacular uninterrupted views over Wick Harbour and Marina. This substantial building originates from circa mid-1800s. Since purchasing the business in 2019 the vendors have undertaken an extensive sympathetic modernisation programme, presenting both the external and internal aspects in fantastic condition. There is ample parking for both personal and business use in and around the harbour area. The café itself is busy and popular, offering quality meals utilising a range of locally sourced products and with a reputation for delightful home baking. The premises are presented in excellent condition with immaculate décor throughout both the business operation areas and the owner’s accommodation.
Wickers World comes to the market ready to operate with no requirement for further significant capital investment. The current owners have carried out expensive refurbishment during their tenure, resulting in the turnkey opportunity on offer. The café sales account historically accounted for the majority of the turnover, but the current owners have invested in the self-catering rooms resulting in the provision of high-quality self-catering accommodation. The two / three bed flat is currently used as owners accommodation, however this would certainly make an extremely comfortable holiday let, with the appropriate statutory authority approvals
The business trades profitably and generates consistently high turnover with the resultant profitability. The Café opens 6 days a week from 9am – 4pm. There is scope to extend the opening hours to include both an evening service and Sunday opening. There is a capable team of full and part time staff. Full accounting information will be made available to seriously interested parties subsequent to viewing.
