The Stuart Arms Bar & Restaurant Conval Street, Dufftown, AB55 4AE

Excellently presented licensed boutique style restaurant and bar with spacious 3-bed owners accommodation set in the centre of Dufftown.

• Beautifully presented licensed bar and boutique style restaurant set within the heart of the Whisky Trail.

• Prime trading location with high levels of passing custom in a central village position.

• Superb customer facilities, modern public bar, charming restaurant with 44 covers plus excellent service areas.

• Easy-to-operate business model and ideal venture for first time entrepreneurs with a hospitality background and passion for food.

• Trading profitably from wet sales and food service only benefiting from local trade and tourism during the busy season.

• Spacious owner's accommodation with 3 double bedrooms and generous modern living space.

DESCRIPTION

The Stuart Arms Bar & Restaurant is an excellently presented boutique style establishment. The business has benefitted from extensive internal investment in both infrastructure and decor bringing it to market in excellent condition, offering a true turn-key operation. Situated in the centre of Dufftown, this characterful business is not only presented in pristine order with immaculate decor throughout the customer areas but is well-appointed in both the service areas (kitchen, cellar etc.) and the 3-bedroom owner's accommodation. The business model is sustainable and offers scope for new owners to take the current operation to the next level. The Stuart Arms has an appealing character, warmth and ambience which makes this a true destination restaurant. The current offering is an excellent mix of modern and traditional Scottish cuisine utilising a range of locally sourced products; this operation provides seasonal fayre to a consistently high level.

TRADE

The Stuart Arms has a strong customer base generating a good level of turnover. The business comes to the market ready to operate in walk-in condition with no requirement for further capital investment. The Stuart Arms Bar & Restaurant is an established restaurant / bar venue but with significant potential to develop the business further. The existing trading model has the two income streams of bar and food sales. The bar service offers over 200 single malt whisky's as well as stocking local beers made by Spey valley. The standard of food production is good and has resulted in a growing turnover. The business opening hours are; Monday to Thursday - 11:00 - 00:30; Friday to Saturday - 11:00 - 01:30; Sunday - 12:30 - 00:30 and closed all day Tuesday.

The business draws in a strong local clientele which is supplemented by the influx of tourists during the main season (Easter to October). The business has a modern website (www.thestuartarms.co.uk) and is well represented over a number of web platforms with solid Trip advisor reviews.

REASON FOR SALE

The current owners purchased the business in 2011 and it is due to a change of family circumstances that brings this attractive business to the market.

LOCATION

The Stuart Arms Bar & Restaurant is situated within the town centre of Dufftown which has a resident population of around 1,700 but has a much larger catchment area. The Historic town of Dufftown is situated in the heart of one of the most stunning areas of Scotland with the Cairngorm National Park just a short drive away. Dufftown is located on the River Fiddich and is the location of several Scotch whisky distilleries; the most popular being the Glenfiddich distillery. Dufftown produces more malt whisky than any other town in Scotland; in fact, a signpost on the way into Dufftown declares it the "Whisky Capital of the World". This declaration puts the town on the famed Malt Whisky Trail.

The town has a number of visitor attractions which draw in many tourists each year. The hills and coast are within a relatively short drive with an abundance of wildlife within the region. Tourists also enjoy visiting the many historic site and castles in the area. There is a range of sporting facilities including shooting plus salmon and trout fishing on the rivers Deveron, Findhorn, and the world famous Spey. The nearby mountains provide opportunities for hill walking and skiing with ski resorts both on the Cairngorm range and the Lecht. The area has renowned golf courses with quality clubs at Boat of Garten, Grantown on Spey, Dufftown and Keith to name but a few. All the other normal facilities one would expect from a vibrant country town such as NHS health centre, small shops, Post Office, hotels and supermarkets are close by. Primary education is available at Dufftown with Secondary Schooling at Speyside High in Aberlour.

THE PROPERTY

The Stuart Arms Bar & Restaurant is an exceptionally well-presented business with spacious owner's accommodation. The business operation is laid to street level and the owner's accommodation is set on the first floor. The building is of traditional stone construction with pitched roofs with the original aspects dating from the early 1900s.

PUBLIC AREAS

The business has a commanding presence on the Main Street with excellent signage. With a strong brand image, entry to the trading elements is from pavement level to the front. From a single entrance an inner hallway offers separate access to the bar and restaurant with both of these areas benefitting from frosted decaled branded windows. The bar entrance is to the right-hand side and upon entry there is a modern and well-appointed bar servery. This attractively presented bar has modern flooring and lighting. There is ample space for 30 seated patrons plus there is a pool table area with darts lane. The bar also has a large TV, juke box and gaming machine. The bar offers a wide range of beers and has varied range of spirits on the gantry. There are ample under-counter chillers to hold bottles and cans. To the rear of the public bar are a ladies and gents WCs.

The restaurant is a very pleasantly decorated dining space offering a truly warming ambience. There is a small area with soft seating which has a wood-burning stove and from here is a large TV. Thereafter are free-standing tables and chairs set comfortably to around 44 covers, however, there is capacity to seat 65 diners should new owners desire. The restaurant has two levels and both are accessible to wheel chair users. There is a secondary bar in the restaurant area which is themed around whisky and is stocked with around 200 or so whisky's. Throughout the restaurant there are excellent carpets and rustic lighting, supplemented by spotlights. To the lower level is a disabled WC and baby changing unit and to the high level, accessed via steps, are the ladies and gents WCs.

SERVICE AREAS

The commercial kitchen is located to the rear of the main restaurant facilitating ease of customer service. This exceptionally well fitted out workspace comes complete with top quality facilities, utensils, refrigeration units and food preparation aids. It has a modern extraction unit and the kitchen meets the highest standards in facilities, cleanliness and output. The kitchen has a dry goods store and immediate access to the rear of the property to enable ease of deliveries etc. There is a large cellar where beers are cooled by use of a python. In addition, a spirit / bottle store is located behind the public bar.

OWNER'S ACCOMMODATION

An attractive feature of this sale is the owner's accommodation which is currently used as letting accommodation. This spacious suite of rooms is set to the first floor and comprises of a modern fitted kitchen, 3 bedrooms and a living room. There is also a family bathroom with 3-piece suite including a shower over bath.

GROUNDS

The Stuart Arms Bar & Restaurant is a substantial property with a tarmac drive to the rear providing access to the kitchen and owner's accommodation. There is a popular beer garden with a ramped access which is ideally located to take advantage of the summer sun. There is also a large building to the rear which has not been utilised as yet and is only used as a storage space. The vendors believe that this unit could be an attractive development opportunity for new owners subject to consents.

SERVICES

The subjects benefit from mains electricity, water and drainage. Propane Gas is used for cooking and the central heating system. The ground floor benefits from gas central heating and the owner's accommodation has electric heaters. The premises are double glazed throughout. The business is fully compliant with Environmental Health and Fire Regulations with modern detection systems. The property also has a CCTV system.