The Old Cow Byre, Whitechapel Lane, Beckington, Frome, BA11

Established and profitable holiday letting business set within the Mendip Hills on the edge of Frome and close to the Roman spa city of Bath.

Comprising a family home with 4-bedroom barn conversion plus four stone-built holiday letting cottages and three lodges set within the grounds. Further potential to site additional lodges to expand the business, subject to gaining the relevant planning consents.

Set in 3.73 acres of landscaped gardens and grounds with nature ponds.

For sale by private treaty as a whole.


Location
By The Byre Holidays is located in a rural setting on the edge of Frome within 2.5 miles providing a range of shops and restaurants, a community hospital, sports centre with indoor swimming pool, theatre, pubs and restaurants, primary and secondary schools and the Cheese & Grain events venue. There is a mainline railway station at Frome within 3 miles with London Paddington/Waterloo services and Bristol International Airport is located 31 miles away.

The Roman spa city of Bath is some 13 miles away, providing a tourist attraction in its own right. The maritime city of Bristol is located 24 miles away and offers a range of tourist attractions. Local tourist attractions in the area include Stonehenge (English Heritage), Cheddar Gorge and caves, Wookey Hole, Glastonbury Tor and Abbey, various National Trust properties, and the West Somerset Steam Railway. Longleat House and the world famous safari park are just 7 miles away.

The Cathedral City of Wells, which is often described as England’s smallest city, is located 17 miles away. The Bishop’s Palace, grounds and Vicar’s Close are often used in TV filming due to their picturesque nature.

The property is ideally situated to explore Somerset and Wiltshire with convenient access along the A303 and A350, via Warminster; with the A303 being mainly dual carriageway to London.


The Business
The current owners have operated the business since 2016. The holiday accommodation has an all-year-round trade and enjoys high occupancy levels and repeat customers. The business is advertised predominantly via their own website: and via booking.com, Trip Advisor and VRBO coupled with social media on Facebook. The business is part of the Holiday Property Bond Tenancy Portfolio.

The gross turnover for the year ending November 2025 was in excess of £200,000 with a net profit of approximately £100,000 from the letting of the holiday accommodation.

There is potential to site additional lodges to expand the business, subject to gaining the relevant planning consents.

A condition of the planning permission for the cottages reads that no unit of accommodation shall be let to the same person(s) for more than 180 days. This provides the opportunity for longer-term holiday letting stays.


The Old Cow Byre
Comprising a detached 4-bedroom barn conversion with vaulted ceilings and exposed roof trusses. The accommodation provides an open plan sitting/dining room and kitchen with adjoining utility room with shower room, store and stairs that lead up to a study with a limited eaves height in part.

A door from the kitchen leads into a snug and further into bedroom 2. A hallway provides access to bedroom 1 (with an en-suite bathroom), bedrooms 3 and 4 plus a family bathroom.

Also accessed from the kitchen is a large sitting room with vaulted ceiling and an open fireplace. Door into a lower-level boiler room with a mezzanine floor above which overlooks the sitting room and has potential to be used as office space for the business.

Outside there is a private gravelled parking area to front as well as an enclosed garden area laid mainly to lawn providing privacy from the business.


The Cottages
The four cottages are located to the rear of The Old Cow Byre and have their own entrance drive and separate parking area with EV charging station for the guests to use.

The accommodation throughout the four cottages; Selwood, Aldhelm, The Frome and Monmouth Retreat comprises on the ground floor of open plan sitting/dining room with French doors leading out onto a patio area to the front, plus separate kitchen area and cloakroom. At first floor, two bedrooms and a bathroom. Each cottage sleeps 4 guests and enjoys the benefit of underfloor heating.


The Lodges
Three detached cedar lodges of a contemporary style located at the rear of the site, all enjoying the benefit of countryside views and positioned close to the nature ponds. A gravel driveway from the cottages leads to each of the lodges providing separate parking for 2 vehicles per lodge plus an overflow car park for additional vehicles. Each lodge is equipped with an EV charging station.

The accommodation within the three lodges; Beckington, Farleigh and Nunney, comprises an open plan sitting/dining room and kitchen area with patio doors leading out on the decking area. A hall provides access to the three bedrooms, one with en-suite shower room, plus a separate bathroom. Each lodge sleeps 6 people. Outside, each lodge has a wraparound decking area enclosed by glass balustrade with lockable glass gate overlooking the ponds with outside seating and BBQ for alfresco dining.


Outside
The property extends to approximately 3.73 acres in total. A side paddock, currently underutilised and used for ball games, offers potential for further development, such as additional lodges to expand the business, subject to obtaining the necessary planning consents.

Within the grounds is a timber outbuilding used for storage and The Bull Pen which has a roller shutter door and is currently used as a garden store/tractor shed.

Adjoining the cottages is a single storey stone barn currently used as a laundry room with worktops, storage cupboards, two washing machines and a tumble dryer, plus roof void storage.

There are two nature ponds which could be extended to provide a further body of water for fishing, subject to the necessary consents.


Method of Sale
The property is offered by sale by private treaty inclusive of trade inventory to include furnishings, equipment, fixtures and fittings in relation to the business, excluding any personal items.

Tenure & Possession
The freehold interest is offered for sale with vacant possession available on completion.


Planning
Planning permission was approved in January 2004 for the construction of 4 self-contained holiday units, laundry & parking area under planning reference 055800/013. A condition of which requires the holiday letting cottages to be run by the owners of the Old Cow Byre unless approved in writing by the local authority.

A subsequent application was made (2025/0583/VRC) to vary condition 7 of 055800/013, pertaining to the occupancy period of the cottages. It was granted and the condition now reads that no unit of accommodation shall be let to the same person(s) for more than 180 days, or any such other period as may first be approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. This provides the opportunity for longer-term holiday letting stays.

Planning permission was approved by Somerset Council in February 2009 for the stationing of three modular timber holiday lodges with associated landscaping. Planning reference: 055800/014.


Services
The property is serviced by mains water, mains electricity and private drainage. The Old Cow Byre has oil-fired central heating and LPG for the hob. The cottages and lodges are serviced by LPG boilers providing underfloor heating and hot water.

EPC Rating
The Old Cow Byre: E
Selwood: C
Aldhelm: C
The Frome: C
Monmouth Retreat: C
Beckington Lodge: D
Farleigh Lodge: D
Nunney Lodge: D

Council Tax
Band G.

Rateable Value
According to the Valuation Office, the cottages have a rateable value of £11,250. Interested parties are advised to make their own enquiries.

Local Authority
Somerset Council


Viewings
Strictly by appointment with agents Carter Jonas, Taunton office .

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