Key Highlights:
Award-winning village shop and Post Office in an affluent Thames-side village
Post Office income circa £35,000 p.a. including salary
Shop sales currently £3,000–£5,000 per week with clear scope to increase
Planning permission granted for extension with café space and external seating
Ground floor retail with 3-bed owner’s accommodation above
Prime position near station, pub and butchers with strong local footfall
Excellent local schools for all ages – Shiplake C of E Primary School & Shiplake College
The business enjoys a loyal local customer base and strong community reputation, offering a mix of everyday convenience items and quality local produce, with counter newspaper sales. Post Office remuneration is circa £35,000 per annum, which includes an annual Post Office salary. Retail sales are currently in the region of £3,000–£5,000 per week, with significant scope to grow by broadening product ranges (e.g. fresh and chilled foods, “food to go”, local gifts and artisan lines) and extending opening hours if desired.
A key feature of this opportunity is that planning permission has been granted by South Oxfordshire District Council (CP25/S2866/FUL) to extend the retail floor space to the north-east corner of the building to create additional shop space with an integrated café area and external seating. This will allow a new owner to develop a daytime café/coffee shop offer and capitalise on footfall from the station, local residents, walkers and visitors heading to nearby Henley-on-Thames, just a short train ride away.
The ground floor currently comprises the retail shop and Post Office counter, with useful storage and service areas. Above, there is spacious owner’s accommodation, presently arranged as three bedrooms, providing comfortable on-site living in an attractive village location.
Lower Shiplake itself is an affluent, desirable community on the River Thames, benefitting from excellent rail links (via Shiplake station) and road connections to Henley-on-Thames, Reading and the wider Thames Valley, making this an ideal lifestyle business for a hands-on operator or family seeking a move to the area.
An attractive, profitable and rare lifestyle opportunity combining a well-established core business with excellent growth prospects through the planned extension and café concept. Early viewing is strongly recommended.
