Post Office and grocery store on Antrim Glens Game of Thrones trail comes to market for £74,995
Landlord National Trust charges just £8 rent per year for Cushendun Costcutter Grocery Store & Post Office premises
A village Post Office and grocery store in rural County Antrim has been put up for sale by its owner, who plans to retire.
Proprietors Patrick and Pauline McAuley have instructed Blacks Business Brokers to find a new owner for the Costcutter store in Cushendun, with a guide price of £74,995.
The business is based in a leasehold property on Main Street, owned by the National Trust. The premises currently benefit from a 100-year lease, which began in 1933 and carries rent of just £8 per year.
The shop occupies the ground floor of the building, which also houses a small office and a storeroom. There is a further room in the basement, and a kitchen and break room on the first floor. The shop is fully equipped, with new energy-efficient fridges and freezers, along with a branded coffee vending machine.
The business, which will operate as usual until a new owner is in place, enjoys considerable passing trade, as well as benefiting from its regular locale clientele. It is located close to tourist attractions including Cushendun Beach and Cushendun Caves, and the area draws in large numbers domestic and international sightseers and organised tours visiting the various nearby locations at which the Game of Thrones television series was filmed.
The grocery business turned over almost £323,000 in its most recent financial year. In addition to this, the Post Office pays £600-£700 per month to Mr McAuley for his services as Postmaster – a figure that could potentially increase if further Post Office services were to be provided.
Amy Page, customer service executive at Blacks Business Brokers, said: “We sell a lot of convenience stores and Post Offices, but Cushendun Costcutter Grocery Store & Post Office is something else. Not only has it been a fixture of village life for the best part of a century, with our client running it since 2007, but it is in a breathtaking location that is a honeypot for tourists.
“When all this is considered, the fact the premises carry rent of just eight pounds per year – less than the cost of the average Secret Santa gift – makes it an incredible opportunity.”