The East Dart Hotel is a famous and historic Dartmoor coaching Inn with origins dating back to 1862. The property comprises a substantial detached building of predominantly stone construction with rendered and painted elevations under pitched slate roofs and briefly comprising 9 High Quality Ensuite Letting Bedrooms, Bar & Restaurant (40+), Tea Room/Dining Room (30+), Games Room and a Commercial Catering Kitchen. There is also an Owner’s Detached Cottage with 3 Double Bedrooms, an 8 Bed Bunk Room and a further Ensuite Letting Bedroom, currently used for staff. The business is set in extensive gardens and grounds which extend to around 2½ acres and incorporate 2 Paddocks, attractive Beer Gardens and Outside Seating Areas with a Pizza Kitchen, Customer Car Park, Stabling and Outbuildings. As with the majority of business premises within Dartmoor National Park, the East Dart Hotel is subject to the terms of a Duchy Lease, full details available upon request.
SITUATION
The East Dart Hotel is located in virtually the centre of Dartmoor National Park and is ideally situated for those looking for a versatile multifaceted business and family home set amidst the 365 square miles of open wilderness and the business enjoys a prominent and highly visible trading position adjacent to the B3212, one of the main arterial routes across Dartmoor National Park. It is situated in the popular village of Postbridge which is located 8 miles from Moretonhampstead, 12 miles from Tavistock, 6 miles from Princetown, 7 miles from Chagford and 6 miles from Widecombe in the Moor. Postbridge is a honeypot tourist location and year-round visitor attraction, renowned for its ancient clapper bridge. Nearby is the historic Wistman’s Wood, an area of ancient Dartmoor woodland and the area also has a hugely rich cultural and historic background – The Hound of the Baskervilles was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the Old Duchy Hotel in Princetown and is believed to be based in this area of the moor. There are many stone and bronze age settlements recorded with numerous sites being evident to this day. With many other famous historic landmarks and attractions close by and being surrounded by picturesque moorland scenery and wildlife, Postbridge is an excellent base to explore the moors and the surrounding area. Consequently, there is ample opportunity to take advantage of the wide range of outdoor country and equestrian pursuits, available immediately on the doorstep.
INTERNAL DETAILS
Entrance doors to the front and rear into the Bar & Restaurant Area, a character bar area with part wood block, part tiled and part carpeted flooring, part exposed stone walls, part wood panelled walls, exposed ceiling timbers, stone fireplace with inset wood burning stove and a range of freestanding wooden tables and chairs comfortably seating 40+ customers. Painted wood fronted Bar Servery with display shelving, glass fronted bottle fridge, EPOS till system and glass washer. Still Room with coffee machine and stainless-steel sink unit. Beer Cellar temperature controlled. Bottle Store. Games Room with stripped wood flooring, pool table area and darts oche. Tea Room/Dining Room another attractive room with stripped wood flooring, ornate feature fireplace with inset wood burner, part wood panelled walls, feature lighting, glass fronted bottle fridge and a range of freestanding wooden table and upholstered wooden chairs comfortably seating 30+ customers. Ladies' & Gents' WCs. Staff WC. Boiler Room. Office. Laundry Room. Commercial Catering Kitchen fitted with a comprehensive range of commercial catering equipment to include non-slip flooring, part stainless steel clad walls, 6-burner range, extractor system with a stainless steel canopy and gas interlock system, floor standing deep fat fryer, table top deep fat fryer, hot plate, eye level grill, range of stainless steel worksurfaces with storage under, microwave oven, 2 door commercial counter fridge unit with saladette over, upright fridge, combi oven, upright commercial fridge, shelving, serving gantry with warming lamps. Large Walk in Fridge and Freezer. Wash Up Area with non-slip flooring, stainless steel worksurfaces with shelving below, twin deep bowl stainless steel sink unit, commercial pass-through dishwasher, sink and door to the rear.
LETTING ACCOMMODATION
There are 9 High Quality Ensuite Letting Bedrooms on the first floor each with televisions, Wi-Fi and tea/coffee making facilities. Presented in excellent order and having been recently renovated, the letting bedrooms briefly comprise 2 Superior King size Double Bedrooms, 3 Double Bedrooms, 1 Twin Bedroom, 2 Single Bedrooms and a Family Bedroom to sleep 4 guests in two interconnecting rooms. Laundry Area. Linen Room. Storeroom. Additionally, there is an 8 Bed Bunk Room with Ensuite Shower Room and a Further Double Ensuite Staff/Letting Bedroom, each with independent access.
EXTERNAL DETAILS
The property offers extensive Grounds which extend to around 2½ acres, incorporating 2 Paddocks. To the front of the property is a Terrace Area with seating for 24+ customers, a Customer Car Park and an enclosed Lawned Beer Garden with seating for 50+ customers. To the rear of the property is an attractive Trade Patio Garden with seating for 40+ customers and an Outdoor Kitchen Hut with built in wood fired pizza oven. Further to the rear is Additional Parking and comprehensive Stabling Facilities briefly comprising 2 Detached Barns, a Double Car Port, 4 Loose Boxes, a Foaling Stall and a Tack Room.
PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION
A Detached Cottage to the rear of the main hotel offers self-contained family sized owner’s accommodation and briefly comprises a Kitchen/Breakfast Room with a range of modern base and wall mounted kitchen units, complementary worksurfaces and built in appliances, Lounge/Dining Room with exposed ceiling timbers and a feature fireplace, 3 Double Bedrooms, one with Ensuite Shower Room, Office and a Family Bathroom.
THE BUSINESS
The East Dart Hotel is a delightful character and renowned coaching Inn which has been comprehensively refurbished by our client during 4 years of ownership. This quality Dartmoor inn is well presented throughout having been the subject of a sympathetic programme of decoration and refurbishment both internally and externally. The inn is a landmark destination public house and hotel which occupies a prominent trading position in the centre of Dartmoor National Park. The Inn also has an established reputation for its quality letting accommodation and has been building a strong trade by making use of online accommodation booking websites. Our client informs us that there is still plenty of untapped potential throughout all aspects of the business, and we believe The East Dart Hotel represents an excellent opportunity to purchase a well established and well regarded business which still offers genuine potential to develop all areas of the trade still further and grow the current business levels significantly. The business has its own website and benefits from a superb 9.3 out of 10 rating by guests of Booking.com and a TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Award.
TRADING INFORMATION
Accounts for the year ending February 2025 show sales of £177,055 net of VAT. Further accounting information can be made available to interested parties following a formal viewing appointment.
PRICE & TENURE
£150,000 for the valuable free of tie Duchy leasehold interest as a going concern business and full trade inventory. Wet and dry stocks to be additional at valuation. Vacant possession upon completion.
The property is held on the favourable terms of a Duchy lease granted in September 2017 for the term of 38 years. Rent reviews are every 3 years with a current rent of £21,000 plus VAT per annum payable quarterly in advance. There is a rent deposit equivalent to six months’ rent.
