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Unique Dartmoor National Park Visitor Attraction With Zoo For Sale

Dartmoor National Park, Devon, UK
Asking Price:
£1,400,000 Furniture / Fixtures and Inventory / Stock included
Turnover:
Undisclosed
Net Profit:
Undisclosed

Exceptional freehold visitor attraction and home-and-income opportunity extending across approximately 50.09 acres within Dartmoor National Park. First opened to the public in 1903, Becky Falls Ancient Woodland Park combines its famous 70-foot waterfall and Ancient Woodland with a licensed 72-cover café, gift shop, zoo, Animal Discovery Zone and beautifully refurbished three-bedroom owner’s farmhouse.

The attraction is set within a wooded valley, with areas designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the site categorised as temperate rainforest, supporting rare plants and diverse flora and fauna. Three graded nature trails provide more than two hours of walks when combined. The zoo operates under a full zoo licence and is accredited by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA). Keeper talks, Keeper for the Day and Animal Experience sessions provide additional income alongside the core admission, café and retail revenues.

The principal income streams are visitor admission charges, food and drink sales from the café and merchandise through the gift shop. Current admission prices are £13.50 for adults, £10 for children, £12.50 concessions and £45 for a family of two adults and two children, with additional children at £8. The attraction opens seven days a week from the early February half-term holidays until the beginning of November. The business has been owned and operated by the current vendors since 2016 and has a 4.5-star Google rating.

There is further scope to develop the attraction, with the current owners identifying opportunities to increase the zoo and functions side of the business or extend café opening hours to create an evening venue. The Animal Discovery Zone already incorporates a large classroom/meeting/venue-hire space with its own BBQ area and garden.

A third-party hydroelectric generating plant has operated on the site since 2016 under a lease arrangement. The third-party owner pays Becky Falls Ancient Woodland Park an index-linked ground rent, while the arrangement also provides reduced electricity costs to the house and business. The sale includes the full rights secured by the current owners to the Becky Falls trademark.

The freehold is offered with vacant possession on completion. All fixtures, fittings and equipment used by the business, including livestock, are included in the sale; furnishings within the owner’s house are excluded. Consumable stock is to be purchased separately at valuation on completion. Purchasers will be required to comply with applicable TUPE legislation in respect of current employees. Additional business and property information is available to seriously interested parties subject to a confidentiality agreement and financial checks.

Property Information

Property:

Freehold

Lease Terms:

A lease has been granted to a third party for the hydroelectric generating plant, operational since 2016. The third party pays an index-linked ground rent to Becky Falls Ancient Woodland Park, with the arrangement also providing reduced electricity costs to the house and business. Vacant possession of the freehold is to be provided on completion.

Living Accommodation:

The owner’s farmhouse has been extensively renovated and extended. The ground floor comprises a study/office, open-plan living space with kitchen and AGA, dining room, family/lounge/sitting room with new log burner, separate utility area and WC. The first floor provides three bedrooms, including a master bedroom with balcony overlooking the park, an extensive dressing room with purpose-built fitted wardrobes and a modern feature bathroom with cast-iron claw-foot bath and shower/wet room. The property also has a private family garden. Improvements include underfloor heating and slate flooring downstairs, oak flooring upstairs and a replacement slate roof installed in recent years.

Services comprise mains electricity with private water and drainage systems.

Location:

Becky Falls Ancient Woodland Park occupies an outstanding position within Dartmoor National Park, approximately five miles from Bovey Tracey and accessible from the A38 Devon Expressway. The attraction is well signposted from Bovey Tracey with brown tourist signs and is centrally positioned to attract visitors from across Devon and the wider South West.

Exeter is approximately 20 miles to the north-east and Plymouth approximately 35 miles to the south-west. Dartmoor National Park covers approximately 368 square miles and attracts visitors for its moorland, tors, historic villages and outdoor recreation, providing a strong tourism setting for the attraction.

Premises Details:

The freehold site extends to approximately 20.27 hectares (50.09 acres).

The centrepiece is a 70-foot waterfall surrounded by Ancient Woodland and three graded nature trails. Blue, red and purple routes provide different levels of difficulty, with the combined trails offering more than two hours of walking.

The licensed café occupies an architecturally distinctive building which won an architectural award in the late 1980s and provides approximately 72 covers. Facilities include a rear serving area, first-floor commercial catering kitchen, food store, stock room and office. An outside terrace provides additional seating overlooking the park, with a second picnic area across the bridge.

An adjoining gift shop occupies a 16th-century building with access both from the park and through the café, selling gifts, local produce and crafts.

The zoo is positioned close to the café within large barn and paddock areas. One paddock adjoins the car park, with two further paddocks within the woodland.

The Animal Discovery Zone occupies a large converted barn housing reptiles, small mammals and invertebrates. To the rear is a substantial classroom, meeting and venue-hire area with its own BBQ area and garden.

Outbuildings comprise three secure garage bays providing a workshop, freezer/storage room and zookeeper work and storage area, all with power, lighting and external illumination installed in recent years. There is also a hay store and extensive commercial bin storage area.

Energy Performance Rating:
B

Business Operation

Expansion Potential:

The current owners have identified scope to increase the zoo and functions side of the business and/or extend the café opening hours to create an evening venue. The Animal Discovery Zone also includes an existing classroom, meeting and venue-hire space with its own BBQ area and garden.

Trading hours:

Open seven days a week from the early February half-term holidays until the beginning of November.

Years established:
First opened to the public in 1903. Current vendors have owned and operated the property since 2016.