The Wild Swan, a hugely popular country pub located in the affluent village of Minskip, North Yorkshire, has come to market via Christie & Co, with a guide price of £550k for the freehold, or Nil Premium lease with a commencing rent of £45k per annum for the leasehold.
Prominently located on the main road which runs through the sought-after village, the authentic ‘Yorkshire Pub’ has been at the heart of Minskip since 1832, it has retained much of its original features, including open fireplaces, age old beams and a traditional tap room.
The Wild Swan is highly regarded amongst locals and visitors alike, having undergone an extensive refurbishment in recent years, in keeping with its heritage and charm. In 2017, the current owners, Karl and Amanda Mainey took on the rundown venue and have since transformed it into a popular locals’ bar and destination pub, well-known for its welcoming atmosphere, high-quality food offering and local ales.
The Mainey’s have also created a lovely beer garden to the rear, featuring a newly installed wood-fired pizza oven which will add an additional income stream.
The profitable business is now offered to let or for sale as a 'turnkey' operation, with a potentially very lucrative opportunity for a new operator, as planning permission has been approved to create four letting rooms in a disused outbuilding to the rear of the pub. This accommodation will almost certainly prove highly popular with tourists to the Yorkshire region, given the predicted staycation boom in 2021 and beyond.
Karl Mainey commented, “It has always been our intention to grow the Wild Swan to a sustainable level and move on to hopefully replicate our success at other venues. In 2019 we bought what is now, The Tickled Trout at Bilton in Ainsty and having grown that business as well, we can’t devote as much time as we’d like to either venue.
“We have an excellent team of staff here and they will be assets to whomever takes over the business. We’ve spent a huge amount of time, effort and money building the business and our team have been integral to all of that. The pub is well-established but still has potential for growth with opportunities to increase revenue further. Until we do sell, it’ll be business as usual when we’re allowed to reopen and we’re very much looking forward to opening our doors again!”
David Cash, Associate Director in Christie & Co’s Hospitality Team is handling the sale and added, “The Wild Swan is a great example of a business that has managed to get the balance right between a warm and welcoming, community local whilst establishing itself as a destination restaurant. We expect a range of interest from owner-operators as well as regional multi-operators who may look to bring the site into their existing portfolio.
“The planning permission to introduce four letting rooms in the barn is a huge bonus for the incoming owner. Since July 2020, we have seen a marked increase in demand for hospitality businesses with accommodation due to a staycation boom that is expected to continue in 2021 and beyond, in light of ongoing international travel restrictions. Minskip benefits from excellent access to the A1(M), is within easy reach of Harrogate, York and Leeds, along with the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks, which draw large numbers of visitors year-round, so there lots of reasons for guests to stay at the Wild Swan!”