Highly Attractive 4 Bed Hotel with Popular Beer Garden Situated in Rural Aberdeenshire

• Substantial and attractive small 4-bedroom hotel set within rural Aberdeenshire.
• Located on the intersection of the A950 and A952 and prominently set in the charming village of Mintlaw.
• Significantly refurbished with attractive public rooms including a bar and small dining room plus a popular beer garden providing an excellent trading platform.
• Easy to operate business trading profitably which would ideally suit hands-on operators with some hospitality experience.
• Excellent 2-bedroom owners’ accommodation plus modern service areas with private off-road car parking.

DESCRIPTION

The Pitfour Arms Hotel is a prominent and highly attractive small hotel with a strong history within the town of Mintlaw. The hotel has an elegant façade and is central to the community of circa 2700 people but with a much larger catchment area population. The subjects cover a deceptively large footprint and enjoy a prime roadside frontage, affording ease of access coupled with excellent signage. Internally, the property radiates character and charm and has seen extensive inward investment, being modernised in recent years. All public rooms and service areas are in generally good condition and after a short period of refreshing facilities, new owners could then focus on service provision. The 4 en-suite letting bedrooms are all presented to a good standard with modern showers. The hotel benefits from a liquor license and has a large outstandingly appointed commercial kitchen plus ample ancillary areas. The 2-bedroom owner’s accommodation adds to the appeal of this business, making it a sound trading proposition and home.

TRADE

The Pitfour Arms Hotel is a well-established business, providing sound profits and a comfortable lifestyle business for proprietors. The business has recently operated under a lease but recent trading accounts will be made available to potential purchasers. Trade in recent years has mainly operated on a wet-sales basis with sporadic accommodation income. Consequently, there is scope and demand to trade the 4 quality en-suite letting bedrooms more fully. There is also capacity to operate a catering provision, should new owners have a desire to do so.

The Pitfour Arms Hotel currently relies on the day-to-day support of local custom but there is a significant tourism presence during the main holiday season (Easter to September). The business presently does little to actively promote trade and an example of this is the business website. A new vibrant and interactive website would draw in accommodation-based custom which would ‘feed’ into the catering and bar aspects of trade. Despite the lack of promotional activity, the business still produces sound trading results but it is self-evident that new owners could drive the business to a higher level. The Pitfour Arms Hotel presents an easy-to-operate trading model, providing both an income and family home.

LOCATION

The location of the Pitfour Arms Hotel ensures that it benefits from the busy tourist season and also profits from the local population who support the business year-round. Mintlaw is Buchan's largest village with a population of around 2,700 inhabitants. There are currently 1000 new houses being built in the village (in progress with developments at the North and South of the village). Lying almost equidistant from the towns of Fraserburgh, Peterhead and Ellon, Mintlaw is a central focal point for the many surrounding villages and the large rural community within the County. The village has a thriving community which has prospered from its association with the oil and gas industry, which is a major employer plus the connection to the rural landscapes and farming is also self-evident. The nearby Pitfour Lake, around a 5-minute drive from the hotel, is a popular walking route with beautiful scenery. The Aden Country Park also provides several popular walking trails set close to the hotel. Though some miles from the coast, the village also has some associations with the fishing industry. The community within the village is well-served with a wide range of shops and local amenities such as recreational and welfare facilities. Schooling is provided in the village with 2 primary schools and an academy.

Mintlaw is centrally located for exploring the wider Aberdeenshire region and taking in its many attractions along the North Coast. Outdoor pursuits such as bird watching and salmon fishing draw visitors to the area who take advantage of the abundance of wildlife. For the dedicated golfer there are a number of outstanding quality golf courses within the immediate area including Cruden Bay, Murcar, Royal Aberdeen and Trump to name a few. In addition, there are castles, distilleries and many more places of interest which offer the more leisurely tourist an abundance of places of culture, interest and history to visit. Mintlaw enjoys a very good geographic location being on the cross roads of the A950 and A952 making it an ideal base from which visitors can continue their odyssey of the North of Scotland. Royal Deeside, the Cairngorms National Park and some stunning coastal destinations are all within a fairly short drive.

Mintlaw is located in the heart of Aberdeenshire and is well within commuting distance to major towns and cities such as Aberdeen (30 miles) and Peterhead (9 miles). Peterhead is one of the busiest fishing ports in Europe and the largest town in Aberdeenshire, offering an array of amenities. Aberdeen is a vibrant city with excellent travel links and international airport, shops, restaurants and live entertainment venues. The City also has two world-class universities.

REASON FOR SALE

The Pitfour Arms Hotel was purchased by the vendors in September 2006 and it has offered the vendors a successful family trading operation. However, it is their desire to focus on non-hospitality businesses that brings this highly attractive home and business to the market.

THE PROPERTY

Of traditional stone construction the Pitfour Arms Hotel presents a charming detached property under a slate roof. With an attractive frontage, the building extends over 3 floors, with the owners and guest accommodation on the 2 upper floors. The property throughout is presented in good condition and ready to recommence trading. There is ample off-road car parking to the rear of the subjects.

PUBLIC AREAS

The property has a centrally located entrance from the main square giving access via an Inner-hallway to the bar area on the left and a small dining room to the right. The character and charm of the property is self-evident in the public areas and is reflective of the building throughout. The trading areas include a bar licensed for 42 customers which has 2 distinct areas; the far end of the bar is where there is a darts lane, gaming machine and the juke box. The immediate area upon entering is more spacious and is served from an attractive and well-appointed bar. The dining room can cater for up to 17 covers and is set to free-standing tables and chairs. It was primarily used for guest breakfasts but new owners with a penchant for food could use it as a dining room for all day service. A beer garden to the rear aspects is licensed for up to 22 patrons and is popular in the warm summer evenings. Service areas include well-appointed ladies and gents’ bathrooms.

LETTING BEDROOMS

Access to the letting bedrooms is from the reception hallway and are situated on the first and second floors. The Pitfour Arms Hotel currently has 4 letting bedrooms which are most functional with quality furnishings and facilities plus in good decorative order. In-room facilities include hospitality trays and towels etc. The rooms have modern en-suites and are all configured to twin beds at this time.

SERVICE AREAS

The business benefits from a modern and highly functional kitchen which is well provided for by way of facilities and equipment which is complemented by a separate larder / laundry area. There is adequate storage throughout the building. There is a chilled cellar off the main bar and deliveries are accessed through a side door. To the rear corridor there is a spacious office and room off, which could be developed as further letting / owners’ accommodation, if required.

OWNER’S ACCOMMODATION

An attractive feature of this sale is the excellent owner’s accommodation which is set to the first floor. This spacious 2-bedroom flat benefits from a large lounge and an attractive bathroom with bath and separate shower. Both bedrooms are doubles with fitted wardrobes. There is an office and large storage room on the ground floor that could be transformed into further accommodation, should it be required.

GROUNDS

The Pitfour Arms Hotel is a substantial property and benefits from a prime roadside trading position. There is ample parking for up to 14 cars and a spacious beer garden to the rear.

SERVICES

The subjects benefit from mains electricity, gas water and drainage. The business has a gas central heating and hot water system plus is mainly double glazed. The building has a modern fire alarm and a 7-point CCTV system.