Retail, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire

NEWSAGENTS in Peterborough for Sale.

Superb newsagents occupying a prominent pitch in Whittlesey which is approximately five miles to the south east of Peterborough. The business occupies an excellent trading position fronting onto a busy thoroughfare. Firmly rooted in the town’s everyday life with the usual products and services associated with a newsagents, including being a Lotto outlet, the shop’s central position provides excellent visibility to passing footfall and vehicles and places it close to the town square and other long-standing independents that collectively draw regular shoppers into the heart of Whittlesey. Inside, the retail space is arranged in a traditional newsagent layout with a sales area that is used for counter sales, display of national and local newspapers and magazines, confectionery, greeting cards and convenience items. The business’s trading performance is robust and takes on average £10,000 per week, a substantial weekly turnover that is underpinned by excellent news-sheet sales from the counter and a dependable local delivery network of 16 rounds. This combination of a high-value counter and an established rounds operation creates a resilient cashflow profile - newspaper purchasers and regular household deliveries provide daily recurring revenue while confectionery, cards and other front-of-store items add margin and footfall conversion. The rounds are an asset in their own right, they represent a recurring contact list and route density that a new owner can leverage immediately.
Held on a lease and property perspective the shop is let on a 15 year lease from 2016 the premises provide good commercial space and a three bedroom flat above. Operationally the business runs with a tight, experienced team - the current staffing comprises four part-time employees who assist the owner in the day to day running of the business. There are several tangible opportunities for growth and value enhancement. In the short term, careful merchandising of the front counter and expansion of convenience lines could lift average transaction values further. Scope to improve online visibility and explore click-and-collect services that link website orders to in-store collection. The residential accommodation also offers on site living to reduce personal travel time and overheads for an owner-operator.
The newsagents itself is the subject of ongoing local interest and occasional redevelopment proposals that aim to preserve the town centre’s retail role while refreshing dated elements - an important factor for any buyer because it underlines the council’s attention to the area’s long-term vitality and the advantage of holding a well-positioned unit on the main shopping street. VIEWING HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Stock £9,000.