10/3/2019 | Pubs

Quintessential Somerset pub brought to the market by Christie & Co

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co has brought to the market The Queens Arms, a beautiful West Country Inn located in Corton Denham, North Sherborne in Somerset.

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The Queens Arms is set amidst idyllic countryside close to Cadbury Castle; which is a Bronze and Iron Age hillfort and has been associated with King Arthur's legendary court at Camelot. A multi-award-winning pub with numerous accolades to its name, the business has three income streams from its boutique rooms, 2AA Rosette food, local ales and cider and an extensive range of gins and whiskeys.

The mellow inn dates from the 18th century, it is a proper pub and with a rustic bar serving pork pies and a cracking open fire. The two dining rooms offer contrasting atmosphere- one more traditional with an open fire and the other more gentle and contemporary offering space for private functions and film nights. The garden has uninterrupted views over verdant farmland.

Current owners, Jeanette and Gordon Reid are planning to retire after ten years, they comment, “Our philosophy has always been to measure our food in meters, and we are passionate about our foods provenance and sustainability of produce. The awards presented to us over the past ten years have demonstrated the drive and efforts of the whole team to give customers a truly unique experience.”  
As they have an excellent team of staff Jeanette and Gordon oversee the business and have built a solid customer base for new owners to inherit, therefore the business is ideal for potential buyers who are seeking to acquire a business run under management. Alternatively, new operators could be more hands on by taking key roles to reduce costs and increase profit margins.

There exists the opportunity for the new owners to expand the business by investing in the loft space in the main pub building, converting it into suites and extending the trading space. Revenue could also be significantly increased by developing the wedding and events side of the business and offer outside catering for events. This is an all year pub with walking and shooting holidays and breaks in winter months and has a high occupancy rate.

The Queens Arms would ideally suit an owner operator seeking an escape from city life but would also alternatively suit a small group or multisite operator to continue running the business under a similar structure to the one currently in place.

Nicholas Calfe, Director – Licensed, at Christie & Co is handling the sale and comments, “The Queens Arms is a quintessentially English pub that will appeal to a wide buyer pool from overseas buyers to regional group or someone looking to enter the market. There is plenty of scope to increase revenue and for the new owner to really put their stamp on the business. These types of pubs rarely come to the market because they offer a consistent steady income throughout the year. The only reason the Queens Arms is on the market is due to the owners looking to retire from the trade after 10 years. Surrounded by beautiful countryside yet within easy reach of London.”