The Corner Cafe, 1 Francis Street, Wick

• Charming building set within a prime trading location in a desirable area of Wick, the capital of Caithness.
• Internal areas extending to around 90m², with prominent frontage, large display windows and high-profile signage opportunities.
• Café customer area is set to 16 covers and extends to approx. 65m2. Storage / welfare areas of 25m2 located on the first floor.
• To date this is a popular café benefitting from superb passing trade and strong year-round demand.
• A potentially profitable business offering an excellent self-employment opportunity.

DESCRIPTION
The Corner Cafe was, until recently, a popular café in a busy trading location, set over the ground and first floors of a characterful multi-storey period property. This opportunity is located on a popular pedestrian route within Wick adjacent to Caithness General Hospital thus benefitting from a high level of passing trade. Whilst trading until recently, the tenants are now vacating given the lease is now finished.

The Café has dual exposure, being located on a popular street corner. The street level is configured as two seated café areas with the adjacent kitchen. The café is set to 16 covers which suited the operating model utilised by the previous tenant. The service counter is located adjacent to the kitchen and the décor is of an acceptable standard throughout. The unit benefits from a spacious store and a WC located on the first floor.

Though being sold as a café, the unit would equally lend itself to other uses with the appropriate statutory permissions.

TRADE
The property is being sold with vacant possession. The café traded with a good reputation until very recently and was popular locally.

REASON FOR SALE
The current proprietors obtained the property in 2007 and leased to property to the departing tenants around 2015. It is their desire to reduce their business interests that brings this excellent opportunity to the market.

LOCATION
The unit is easily located on the very popular NC500 in the busy harbour town of Wick. Wick is situated on the North East of the county of Caithness. Caithness has long been a popular destination for many tourists. The population of Wick is circa 7,000 within a general local population of around 24,000 in the broader catchment area. Tourism is one of the main sources of income to the area in the main season being highly popular with walkers, cyclists, ornithologists, archaeologists and anglers, and those undertaking the NC500 route. The Old Pulteney distillery (currently the most northerly mainland distillery) is a popular attraction as is the active harbour and the 18-hole golf course. In terms of infrastructure the town is very well supported and benefits from excellent primary and high schooling, welfare and medical facilities, leisure resources and communication links with a railway station and airport.

Caithness is an area rich in wildlife, home to red deer, the otter and the Atlantic salmon amongst other species. Ornithologists are frequent visitors to the county, attracted by the golden eagle, hen harrier, peregrine falcon, short eared owl, black and red grouse, puffin, red throated divers and corncrake. Such are wildlife numbers that a sustainable cull of deer and sporting birds brings stalkers and shooters to the area, generally in the winter months. As for the tourist, there are lots of options. Orkney, which is a day trip away, has numerous sites of archaeological interest plus there is the Castle of Mey and Castle Sinclair which also attract a number of visitors.

THE PROPERTY
The Corner Cafe is set within a well-positioned unit on the A99 adjacent to Caithness General Hospital. It offers a glazed dual aspect frontage with prominent signage and branding opportunities. There is ample space for signage above the front and side windows. The café is part of an attractive stone building which can be accessed via a street level single-entry point directly off Francis Street.

The entrance façade has a fully glazed door with a large glazed picture window frontage, thus enjoying beautiful natural lighting. Upon entering the open-plan customer area there is an airy customer seating area. To the left is further seating area with an attractive serving counter. The wall décor is simple and in line with the style of food and drinks on offer. Beyond the second seating area there is a kitchen and stairs to the first floor. On the first floor there is a customer toilet on the first floor café and a store area. The stairs continue to the attic.

SERVICES
The unit benefits from mains electricity, mains gas, water and drainage. The boiler installation was replaced about 8 months ago.

PRICE
Offers over £40,000 are invited for the heritable property complete with trade contents which is limited to:
Café - fixed servery counter outside kitchen
Kitchen - cupboards and floor mounted white goods, 2 electric fryers and microwave
1st floor store - 2 chest freezers and wall shelves