Portknockie Fish & Chip Shop, Bridge Street, AB56 4LF

Highly attractive fish and chip shop with stunning 3-bedroom house in the popular seaside village of Portknockie.

• Immaculately presented fish and chip shop business offering a wide and unique product range, plus beautiful family home.

• Ideally positioned in the centre of the ever-popular village of Portknockie, set on the Moray Firth coast in a desirable residential and business location.

• Consistently trading extremely well with a rising turnover and high adjusted net profit.

• Easy-to-operate business model, trading year-round with seasonally adjusted opening hours, benefitting from strong local clientele and tourist trade.

• Beautifully appointed trading areas extending to c48.41m2 with a modern shop frontage plus ample preparation and storage areas.

• Adjoining stunningly presented 3-bedroom house, completely modernised throughout.

DESCRIPTION

Portknockie Fish & Chip Shop is a most popular business enjoying an excellent reputation, situated in a prime central trading location offering a prominent frontage central to the popular seaside village of Portknockie. The business is set on the popular North East 250 tourist route. The fish & chip shop is an exceptionally well-appointed business with modern and new equipment throughout, making this a standout operation. The quality of fixtures and fittings in the trading and preparation areas are of the highest order, within a total work space extending to about 48.41m2. The external facade of the trading elements offers excellent signage and branding. Internally, the customer service area has modern and professional displays. All cooking appliances are of a thoroughly modern and exacting standard presenting a well-formed hot food sales area. To the rear preparation area, the standards are maintained with first class food preparation and storage facilities. Externally, there is a separate and again intelligently appointed storage area with ample space for bulk stock and additional freezer storage. Throughout the trading elements, the building and fixtures and fittings have undergone a full refurbishment completed in May 2019. All in all, the business represents a 100% turn-key operation for new owners. A further attractive aspect of this sale is the totally renovated owners house. This 3-bedroom family home offers 2 double bedrooms with master en-suite, a further bedroom currently used as an office however offering scope to provide a small double, and spacious ground floor rooms including lounge, dining kitchen, utility room and family bathroom.

STAFF

The current business operation is managed by the owners who employ up to 16 part-time staff in the height of the season. During the winter period, between 12-14 staff are employed.

LOCATION

Portknockie is a picturesque cliff-top community overlooking the Moray coast and is a popular location to stay and explore the wider region. The fish and chip shop is situated in an elevated location and within walking distance to the harbour and the coastal footpath of the Moray Firth which has some stunning rugged scenery along its shoreline. There is also a choice of spectacular walks on pebbled and sandy beaches. There is a beautiful harbour with swimming pool where people love to sit to take in the views and eat their fish and chips. The seas around Portknockie are home to a wide range of sea life and birdlife, the most popular are the Bottlenose Dolphins. The village has a population of around 1200 inhabitants with supporting amenities to include local shop, post office, hotel, pub, hairdresser, chemist and primary school. The nearest town of Buckie, about 5 miles away, offers numerous leisure facilities including a leisure centre with swimming pool, two links golf courses, and outdoor bowling greens. There are major NHS centres within the town, banking facilities, restaurants, cafes, pubs, local shops and supermarkets. Primary schooling is located in the village and secondary education is located in Buckie. The villages of Findochty and Cullen are close-by offering many social and welfare facilities for local inhabitants plus pub, hotels, restaurants/cafes and campsites. The self-catering and other accommodation within the area draws tourists to the Portknockie Fish and Chip Shop, boosting trade especially during the main season. The local area offers a wide range of walks and other golf courses. There are many historical castles, cathedrals and monuments within a short drive of Portknockie including the famous Bow Fiddle Rock, plus the Whisky Trail is close by. The River Spey is a short drive away from the village and is world famous for its salmon and trout fishing. The angler is spoilt for choice with numerous rivers, beaches and local harbours all within a short distance of this property. The chip shop is set on the increasingly-popular and unique North East 250 tourist route which takes you through the whisky distilleries of Speyside, the spectacular Cairngorms National Park, the famous castles of Royal Deeside, the City of Aberdeen, the rugged North Sea coastline, and the picturesque seaside villages of the Moray Firth Coast. A comprehensive East Coast bus network operates through Portknockie and Buckie with the rail network operating from the nearest station of Keith, 10 miles away.

TRADE

The business is an easy-to-operate venture with a simple but highly effective trading model, being presented in excellent condition with efficient and exceptionally well-appointed facilities and catering equipment provision. Portknockie Fish & Chip Shop has an excellent trading reputation within its locality and people travel many miles to partake in their fayre; as reflected on review sites. The business has its own effective website (www.portknockiechipshop.co.uk) and Facebook page (facebook.com/portknockiefishandchipshop). The trading unit has excellent and modern signage, providing an appealing exterior and impactful branding. The takeaway caters to a strong year-round demand from local residents and passing trade, with tourists significantly enhancing turnover during the spring and summer seasons. Portknockie Fish & Chip Shop provides traditional and high-quality fish and chip meals plus a wider food offering including pizzas. They extensively cater for all dietary requirements including vegetarians and those with allergies. The business mainly sources it produce locally to ensure the best quality products are used in the food preparation.

A unique aspect of the business is the famous 'Crunchy Fried Pop Pop Chicken' which is exclusive to Portknockie Fish & Chip Shop at this time. The franchise and trading name were started by the owners in 1996 and though they are content to allow new owners to enjoy this aspect of their business, the trading name will not be allowed to be used in any further outlet without the express consent of our client.

The business opening hours are as follows; January & February: Tuesday to Saturday 4.30pm to 7.30pm, March - December: Tuesday to Saturday 4.30pm to 8pm and Sunday 4.30pm to 7.30pm, July & August: Tuesday to Saturday 4.30pm to 8.30pm and Sunday 4.30pm to 7.30pm. There is undoubted scope to extend opening hours further trading 7 nights per week plus open during lunchtimes during the main tourist season. The business trades to a highly profitable level currently but has the capacity to increase income further.

REASON FOR SALE

The current owners purchased the property in November 2013 and finished total renovation of the house in 2016. After 6 years at the helm of this thriving business, they now wish to take on a new challenge in a different location thus bringing this excellent business venture to the market.

THE PROPERTY

The original house was built in the 1860's and the shop dates from around 1951, being located within a conservation area. The trading elements, with its prominent signage, is set to the ground floor only. The fish and chip shop is constructed from concrete blocks with sheet metal profile roofing. Access to the customer areas is via a door to the front aspect and there is a secondary rear staff / fire dooring opening into the court yard. Of traditional stone construction, the house is set over 11/2 stories with a dormer projection. The house has a private entrance. All areas are double glazed.

RETAIL & SERVICE AREAS

Entrance to the shop is via a single door leading into the customer service area which is beautifully presented with a modern stainless-steel food production / servery counter to the front and illuminated menu signage to the side. The internal decor of the trading aspects is delightfully presented and is enhanced with artistic representations of a bygone era and fishing scenes. The cooking elements include a 3-pan frying range with 5 separate basket fryers to the rear for specific food cooking. The range has a glazed hot display unit above for hot-holding. There is also a double deck pizza oven, contact griddle and refrigeration. The shop has excellent extraction and has 2 air conditioning units, one in the customer service area and one behind the servery counter and fryers. A very good level of lighting is supplemented with double aspect windows providing not only natural illumination but a good view into an outstanding business for customers, as well as offering attractive sea views. The business has a fully automated EPOS system which facilitates ease of service.

To the side of the service area is a spacious food preparation room which boasts excellent dry storage, freezer and refrigerated storage and ample work spaces. This area is fantastically appointed with a range of cooking aids and appliances to include potato rumbler and stand, mechanical chipper, electric hob, oven, Merrychef oven, microwave, grill, dishwasher etc. This area has 2 air conditioning units. There is a smart staff washroom to the rear aspects.

OWNERS ACCOMMODATION

An attractive aspect of this sale is the beautifully appointed owners house adjacent to the trading elements. The house has been fully renovated including rewiring, new plumbing and internal fittings throughout. The house has LED down lights offering a bright living space. Upon entry there is a spacious entrance hallway benefitting from under stair cupboard with the lounge to the left, a family bathroom located centrally and a door to the right leading to the family kitchen / dining room plus utility area. Stairs lead to the first floor and 3 bedrooms. The master double bedroom is en-suite and there is a further double bedroom. An additional bedroom is currently being utilised as an office however the desk pulls down to create a small double. All areas have been developed to an outstanding standard. The modern kitchen has been finished to a high standard with excellent work spaces and storage options plus offers a dining space. The utility room is also finished to an equally exacting standard. The ground floor bathroom benefits from contemporary fittings to include a bath with shower-over plus wash-hand basin and W.C. The lounge has a glazed door leading to the courtyard and a window to the side. A feature fire place is set to the central back wall. Of good proportions, the lounge is ideal for family use. The stairs are attractively finished with glass panels which assist the circulation of natural light within the home. At the top of the stairs to the left, is a small double bedroom which is currently being utilised as an office. Across the landing is a large double room and further along the landing is the master bedroom. This attractive room has an exposed stone wall with inset feature fireplace and an en-suite shower room.

EXTERNAL

There is a most attractive courtyard which connects the house and the business elements. This smart space is laid to blockwork and has free-standing planters plus a raised flower border which has built in drainage. There is a large garage / storage unit which offers a flexible space and also houses additional non-ambient storage. There is a purpose-built bin enclosure which has lighting and drainage for ease of washing the bins. Externally there is also a double power point and an outside tap. Free car parking is available immediately adjacent to Portknockie Fish & Chip Shop. There is parking for a private car to the front of the house.

SERVICES

The shop benefits from mains electricity, gas water and drainage. In May 2019 the chip shop was completely refurbished including rewiring, new plumbing and new roof. The house renovations also included rewiring, new plumbing and new dormer roof. The drainage and water mains were renewed in May 2019. A gas-fired boiler provides underfloor heating for the ground floor of the house and wet radiators on the first floor. The property has external lighting and benefits from external and internal CCTV. The business is completely fire and EHO compliant. All aspects of this property have been fully rewired in recent years. The property is fully double-glazed.