Beautifully located Yorkshire Dales Shop and Tea Room looking for new owner

With links to the Doomsday Book and its own delightful waterfall, West Burton in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a tourist hotspot.
The village shop and adjoining tea room has hit the marketThe village shop and adjoining tea room has hit the market
The village shop and adjoining tea room has hit the market

And now there’s a chance to enjoy some of the best scenery around combined with a gentle pace of life, all year round.

The village shop and adjoining tea room has hit the market – offering the chance for an enterprising new owner to snap up the opportunity to run a thriving business in one of the Dales’ prettiest locations.

Visitor numbers to the Yorkshire Dales National Park have been increasing in recent years. Figures for 2017 showed there were 3.85m visitors, made up of 3.3m day trippers and 0.52m overnight tourists.

The value of tourism in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is projected to soar by 20 per centThe value of tourism in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is projected to soar by 20 per cent
The value of tourism in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is projected to soar by 20 per cent

Between them, they ploughed £263m into the region’s economy – a 4.5 per cent increase on the previous year - and helped support 3623 full-time jobs.

The value of tourism in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is projected to soar by 20 per cent in real terms by 2020 – making a business in the area a particularly attractive prospect.

It was the combination of an attractive place to stay and the chance to run his own business that drew West Burton Village Shop and Tea Room owner Brian Grant to the area.

He had been working as an advisor and counsellor in a community-based project in Derbyshire, but was ready for a career change.

The tea room has space for 16 covers inside and extra space outside overlooking the pretty village green.The tea room has space for 16 covers inside and extra space outside overlooking the pretty village green.
The tea room has space for 16 covers inside and extra space outside overlooking the pretty village green.

“I worked with long-term unemployed, ethnic minorities and refugees,” he explained. “But my wife and I decided we’d like to follow our dream and run our own business.

“We looked at places in Derbyshire and Cumbria until a journey on return from a holiday break brought us through the Yorkshire Dales National Park”

“As soon as we came to West Burton, we thought it was perfect. It’s such a beautiful, distinctive village.”

The village is known for its small, picturesque waterfall, Cauldron Falls, just a short walk from the large village green. West Burton is mentioned in the Doomsday Book as simply ‘Burton’, while nearby is a trio of pretty Dales villages, the market town of Leyburn, the valley of Wensleydale and a wide network of walks, cycle trails and tourist spots.

The village shop provides a secure income to owners outside of the main season.The village shop provides a secure income to owners outside of the main season.
The village shop provides a secure income to owners outside of the main season.

The business particularly appealed to Brian because of its year-round potential. “We know a tea room in a beautiful area will do well in summer when there are tourists, but you have to consider what happens in winter.

The village shop provides a secure income to owners outside of the main season. The shop is right at the heart of the community, and the only shop other than the butcher. With three villages in close proximity to West Burton - Walden, Thoralby and Newbiggin - it draws in a lot of regular local custom.”

The couple were impressed with figures that showed the business had previously generated up to £147,000 in annual turnover with a £42,000 net profit. They decided to relocate from Derbyshire in October 2016 with aspirations to return the business to its previous potential.

Sadly, a long period of family health problems and demands mean it’s time to move on – opening up the business for new owners.

With links to the Doomsday Book and its own delightful waterfall, West Burton in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a tourist hotspot.With links to the Doomsday Book and its own delightful waterfall, West Burton in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a tourist hotspot.
With links to the Doomsday Book and its own delightful waterfall, West Burton in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a tourist hotspot.

The tea room has space for 16 covers inside and extra space outside overlooking the pretty village green. Due to the difficult personal circumstances, the tea room has been very under-utilised, and provides considerable future potential to the business as a whole. It could also double up as a gift shop or gallery – providing the new owners with another income stream.

There’s also the opportunity to take over a three-bedroomed bungalow in the village with a separate one-bedroomed self-contained annex which could be run and provide additional income as a bed and breakfast or Airbnb.

West Burton Village Shop & Tea Room is currently being marketed through business specialists Ernest Wilson, priced at £26,950.

Ernest Wilson is based in Leeds and is the leading agent for businesses for sale in the UK. Established in 1956, it has handled thousands of business property deals. Find out more at www.ernest-wilson.co.uk.