Church Street, Cromer, Norfolk

Business Reference: GO4725
Guide Price: £39,950 + SAV

OVERVIEW

Le Petite De Cromer represents an excellent opportunity to acquire a recently established and well-presented café business, ideally positioned within the popular coastal town of Cromer on the North Norfolk coastline.

The business commenced trading in July 2024 and has been thoughtfully fitted out to create a warm, welcoming, and comfortable café environment. It offers customers a relaxed setting to enjoy coffee, light meals, and refreshments, with both indoor and outdoor seating enhancing its appeal, particularly during peak tourist periods.

This is a genuine turnkey opportunity. The café is fully equipped and operational, allowing an incoming purchaser to take over immediately without the need for significant additional investment or setup time.

The reason for sale is purely lifestyle-driven, as the business was originally acquired for a family member who has since chosen to travel. As such, the sale presents a rare opportunity to acquire a newly established café with clear growth potential and no underlying trading issues.

The business is ideally suited to:

An owner-operator seeking a manageable hospitality business
A couple or family looking for a lifestyle change
A buyer relocating to a coastal location
First-time operators entering the café sector
The manageable size and straightforward operating model allow for efficient day-to-day running, while still offering strong scope for development and increased profitability.

LOCATION

Address: 58 Church Street, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 9HH

Cromer is one of North Norfolk’s most well-known and desirable seaside towns, attracting significant visitor numbers throughout the year. The town is particularly busy during the spring and summer months, driven by domestic tourism, holidaymakers, and day visitors.

Cromer is famously known for its Cromer crab, a well-regarded local delicacy that attracts visitors from across the UK. This presents a further opportunity for a new owner to incorporate local seafood or crab-based dishes into the menu, enhancing the café’s appeal and aligning with the town’s identity.

Key features of the location include:

A strong and consistent tourism economy
A well-established local residential population
Numerous hotels, guest houses, and holiday lets
A thriving independent retail and hospitality scene
Popular attractions including Cromer Pier, beaches, and coastal walks
The café occupies a central trading position on Church Street, one of the town’s key commercial streets. This location benefits from steady pedestrian footfall generated by shoppers, visitors, and those moving between the town centre and seafront.

Hospitality businesses in Cromer typically experience strong seasonal peaks, with significant increases in trade between March and October. This makes the location particularly attractive for owner-operated café businesses, where operators can capitalise on peak periods while maintaining flexibility during quieter months.

The combination of local repeat custom and seasonal tourism provides a balanced and sustainable customer base.

BUSINESS MODEL & TRADING STYLE

Le Petite De Comer operates as a traditional café offering a simple, accessible, and efficient menu designed to appeal to a broad customer base.

The current offering includes:

Coffee and speciality hot drinks
Light meals and café-style dishes
Snacks and refreshments
Casual dine-in options
The business has been intentionally structured to maintain operational simplicity, allowing for ease of management and consistent service delivery. This makes it particularly attractive for hands-on owner-operators.

The café currently trades on a seasonal basis, typically operating from March through October, with occasional extended trading into the winter months. As the business has only been trading since mid-2024, it has not yet completed a full trading cycle under stable management.

This presents a clear opportunity for a new owner to:

Establish consistent year-round trading
Refine and expand the menu offering
Optimise pricing and margins
Build a stronger local and returning customer base
Key growth opportunities include:

Extending opening hours to capture breakfast and early evening trade
Introducing a dedicated breakfast and brunch menu
Developing takeaway options such as coffee-to-go, ice cream, and coastal snacks
Expanding seasonal offerings aligned with tourism trends
Increasing digital marketing activity across social media platforms
Partnering with local accommodation providers for referrals
Hosting themed events or seasonal promotions
Maximising use of outdoor seating during peak months
With Cromer’s strong tourism market, cafés that actively engage with visitors and local businesses can achieve excellent seasonal turnover and repeat trade.

STAFFING & MANAGEMENT

The business is currently operated by the owner, supported by two part-time members of staff:

One staff member on a 15-hour fixed contract
One staff member on a 5-hour fixed contract
Both team members are currently within a 6-month probationary period.

This structure provides a flexible and scalable staffing model, allowing a new owner to either remain hands-on or further develop the team in line with extended trading hours and business growth.

PREMISES & FACILITIES

The business operates from a well-presented and inviting premises designed to support efficient café operations while maintaining a comfortable customer environment.

Key features include:

Indoor seating area providing a relaxed dining space
Outdoor seating with tables and chairs, ideal for warmer months
Customer-facing service counter
Dedicated coffee preparation area
Catering and refrigeration equipment
Functional layout allowing smooth workflow and service delivery
The premises are arranged to maximise both customer experience and operational efficiency, creating a balanced and practical trading environment.

FIXTURES & FITTINGS

The sale includes a comprehensive range of fixtures, fittings, and catering equipment, enabling immediate continuation of trade.

Key items include:

5 outdoor tables with 10 chairs
4 internal tables with seating for 8 customers
Counter seating area (2 seats)
Commercial coffee machine and grinder
Three refrigeration units
Freezer unit
Microwave
Starbucks branded oven (new)
Air conditioning unit (scheduled for installation)
The quality and condition of the equipment mean that minimal additional capital expenditure is required by an incoming purchaser.

TENURE

Tenure: Leasehold
Lease Length: Approximately 13 years remaining
Rent: £9,000 per annum

The business benefits from a secure long-term lease, providing stability for a new operator.

The relatively low annual rent helps maintain manageable overheads, making the business financially accessible and suitable for owner-operators.

MARKETING & DIGITAL PRESENCE

The business currently benefits from:

Strong passing trade due to its central location
Repeat custom from local residents
Seasonal tourism-driven footfall
Marketing & Digital Presence: The business currently relies primarily on its physical location and word-of-mouth reputation. There is significant scope to enhance visibility through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, improved Google Business optimisation, and partnerships with local tourism providers. A more structured digital strategy could materially increase customer awareness and drive higher trading volumes, particularly during peak tourist seasons.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

The business commenced trading in July 2024 and has therefore not yet completed a full trading cycle.

However, initial trading has demonstrated encouraging levels of customer demand, particularly during peak tourist periods, with the business generating average weekly takings in the region of £2,000 – £3,000 during busier trading periods.

As the café has not yet been operated through a full and consistent trading year, these figures should be viewed as indicative only. There is clear potential for a new owner to build on this foundation by establishing consistent year-round trading and optimising the operating model.

The opportunity should therefore be considered as:

A fully fitted and operational café
An asset-backed acquisition
A business with proven early traction and strong growth potential
The asking price reflects the quality of the fit-out, secure lease, attractive location, and the opportunity to further develop turnover and profitability under new ownership.

SUMMARY

Le Petite De Cromer represents a charming and accessible café opportunity within one of North Norfolk’s most popular coastal destinations.

The business offers:

A fully fitted and ready-to-trade premises
A secure long-term lease with low overheads
A simple and manageable operating model
Strong potential for growth and development
This is an ideal opportunity for a hands-on owner seeking a lifestyle business in a thriving seaside location, with the ability to shape and grow the business to its full potential.

FURTHER INFORMATION

All enquiries are to be made through Goodwins Business Brokers. Further information will be provided to genuinely interested parties upon completion of a confidentiality agreement.