The Vale of the White Horse Inn, Station Road, Minety, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, SN16 9QY

Our clients purchased the property in early 2002 and at that time carried out a comprehensive restoration programme before the business could be reopened. We understand The Vale of the White Horse was built in the mid-1800s and has many interesting parts to the building which include a large Lower Ground Floor. The building is, therefore, in fact, three-storey and measures around 8,000 square feet in total. This amount of space offers huge potential to convert much of the lower ground and upper floors including the roof void into 10 ensuite letting rooms for which planning has been granted.

In relation to this planning permission, the owner has been granted further permission to build a terrace of four three-bedroom houses for either open market sale or retention. These houses are subject to a section 106 agreement. The owner has also been granted planning permission for two four-bedroom houses. These two plots are not included in the sale but could be available by separate negotiation.

Minety is a village six miles East of Malmesbury and on the edge of the Cotswolds. Minety has a primary school and many sporting facilities, including rugby, football and tennis. There is an annual three-day music festival with about 60 bands performing, which attracts thousands of visitors, as does the WOMAD festival, which is only three miles away.

There are five Wiltshire Wildlife Reserves in close proximity and a very large network of footpaths and bridleways which are open to the public. There are also a wide variety of equestrian facilities and other countryside activities locally available. London and Bristol are easily accessed on the M4 with both junctions 15 and 16 being close at hand. Swindon and Cirencester are the nearest major towns, both accessible by a choice of routes.

The Cotswold Water Park is an extremely popular nature reserve consisting of over 150 lakes and draws large numbers of tourists each year. The pub is also located less than two miles from the Lower Mill Estate which is a high-end development of almost 500 residential & holiday properties.

The main customer entrance is from the rear car park into an entrance reception with double doors into the L-shaped Function room which accommodates events up to 120 people although this could be expanded into the skittle alley which has part exposed stonewalling. The function room has it’s own bar, toilets and is easily accessible to the main fully fitted commercial kitchen and cellar, which are on the same level. The arched windows have casement doors to the outside overlooking the lake.

Stairs from the reception lead up to the L-shaped landing area, further customer toilets for the linked two-section bar and dining rooms, both sides have access to the bar server and the walls are exposed brick with three working fireplace and exposed timbers. There is seating for about 70, plus bar stools.

The site measures in excess of an acre overall and features a small lake surrounded by attractive reed beds and grassed areas beyond.

The attractive terrace can seat up to 50 people and directly overlooks the small lake and countryside.

The Vale of the White Horse is accessed by a wide driveway which leads you a large car park which has space for about 50 cars. Located in the car park is the squash court building which is on a peppercorn rented lease until 2026.

Behind the Inn is an enclosed yard that houses the walk-in fridge, freezer store and the LPG bulk gas tank.

Stairs to the second floor which comprises the owner accommodation consisting of five bedrooms, three bathrooms and kitchen/diner. These rooms could be converted to five en suite letting rooms for which planning permission has been granted.

We understand the loft space also has planning permission to be converted into a self-contained two-bedroom owner's accommodation plus two en suite letting rooms.

The Vale of The White Horse operates as a destination freehouse. As a large four-storey building, The Vale of the White Horse Inn offers a huge amount of scope to develop and transform into a boutique hotel and pub set in its large picturesque grounds. For a long time, the inn has not traded at anywhere near its full potential. The decision to sell the business with the benefit of the planning permissions creates the opportunity for new owners to take the business to the next level.

The large grounds offer the opportunity to create further accommodation should more than the existing planning permission already provides.

Owner operated with a full-time manager, full-time chef plus a number of part-time staff.

Management accounts show net sales of £227,079 for year-end 31/3/2019. The Trade split is as follows:-
£141,832 Wet
£77,754 Food
£7,493 Other

Seven days a week.

Planning permission granted for 10 en suite letting rooms and four houses. For further information see below link.

The Section 106 stipulates the third house cannot be occupied until the loft conversion is signed off.
As it does not specify which house is what number, the two 4 beds are unencumbered by the S106.

Please note the current asking price excludes the building plots which are available to purchase separately or as a package with the pub.

Rateable value effective from 1 April 2023 will be £5,250.

Premises Licence.