Established Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar in North Yorkshire — £396K Revenue

The business operates across five complementary revenue streams:

1. Dine-in Restaurant — The core offering, serving authentic Italian-inspired pizzas, pastas, burgers, salads and grill items from a historic listed building seating up to 180 covers across three floors (90 on the first floor, 32 in the bar area, and 18 on the ground floor). Extensive gluten-free options cater to dietary requirements. A weekday set menu offers 2 courses for £22 and 3 courses for £27.

2. Italian-Inspired Wine Bar — A newly added ground-floor wine bar following the £120,000 refurbishment, offering an authentic Italian drinks and small plates experience. This addition diversifies the offering and increases average spend per cover.

3. Takeaway & Delivery — A busy and expanding delivery service covering the local town and surrounding villages via multiple platforms. The menu has been adapted back to its original Italian roots to ensure higher gross profits across the whole menu.

4. Private Hire & Events — The multi-floor venue hosts weddings, christenings and private parties for up to 180 guests, providing additional revenue with minimal marketing cost through word-of-mouth and direct bookings.

5. Online Shop (Ready Meals & Cheesecakes) — An e-commerce operation selling freshly made frozen ready meals (8 savoury lines, £10.55–£16.95) and artisan cheesecakes (8 flavours, £25–£28) for collection. This productised offering adds a high-margin retail layer with minimal incremental kitchen cost.

The restaurant enjoys an excellent reputation built over 18 years of family ownership. It is ranked in the top 30 of 132 restaurants in its market town on TripAdvisor (4.1/5, 1,050+ reviews) and holds a 4.4/5 rating on Facebook with 8,500+ likes, reflecting strong local brand awareness and word-of-mouth.

The customer mix includes loyal local residents — many regulars visit two to three times per week — plus a steady stream of tourists visiting the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District, as the town is a well-known gateway to both national parks. Visitor footfall is strong year-round.

The extensive gluten-free menu differentiates the business from competitors and draws diners with dietary requirements from a wide catchment area. Private hire for weddings and celebrations adds a high-value segment with minimal marketing cost.

Business Overview

Question — Answer

How long have you been operating your business? — 18 years (since 2008)

Business address — Skipton, North Yorkshire, England

Is the business premises freehold or leasehold? — Leasehold

Is the business for sale or for rent? — For sale

Sale price / annual rental price (key money) — £99,500

Annual sales — £396,000

Annual leasehold rent for the premises — £29,000

Annual inventory cost — £5,500

Annual staff salary cost — £80,000

Annual utility costs — £12,500

Annual profit — £69,000

Number of staff — 18

Number of vehicles owned by the business — 1

Key highlights — 18 years trading; 1,050+ TripAdvisor reviews (4.1/5); 8,500+ Facebook likes; £120,000 refurbishment; 180 covers across three floors; Italian-inspired menu with extensive gluten-free options; newly added wine bar; online shop for ready meals & cheesecakes; takeaway & delivery service; private hire for events up to 180 guests

Reason for selling — The founding owners are selling after 10 years to spend more time with family

Operations Detail

The business employs 18 staff and has been family-run for 10 years by the current owners, who are now selling to spend more time with family. The owners manage front-of-house and day-to-day operations.

The restaurant operates from a historic listed rag-mill building over three floors, which recently underwent a £120,000 refurbishment including a full electrical rewire, new plastering and building works, fully repainted throughout, new carpets and floors, a Sonos music system, new fire alarm system, new kitchen equipment and extractor fans, a new combi boiler, and a new Italian-inspired wine bar fitted to the ground floor.

Opening hours: Wednesday–Thursday 12:00–14:00 and 16:00–21:00, Friday–Saturday 12:00–21:00, Sunday 12:00–20:00. The property is leasehold with an annual rent of £29,000.

Key annual costs: staff salaries £80,000, utilities £12,500, inventory/supplies £5,500. The business owns 1 vehicle. Stock at valuation.

1. Extend evening trading hours — The restaurant currently closes at 21:00 on weekdays. The fully licensed premises are well positioned to open later into the evening throughout the week, maximising the benefit of the alcohol licence and the new wine bar. This is the single biggest quick-win opportunity.

2. Expand the online shop — The ready-meal and cheesecake range is currently collection-only. Adding nationwide delivery via courier or a third-party platform could significantly increase retail revenue with minimal capital investment.

3. Grow private hire and events — With 180 covers and no room hire charge, the venue is under-utilised for corporate events, birthday parties and seasonal celebrations. A targeted marketing push could fill more event slots, especially mid-week.

4. Third-party delivery platforms — Already operating a delivery service, but listing on additional platforms would extend the delivery radius and capture more demand.

5. Catering and wholesale — The in-house production of ready meals and cheesecakes could be scaled into a wholesale or catering line for local pubs, cafés and delis.

6. Open Monday and Tuesday — The restaurant currently closes on Monday and Tuesday. Opening for brunch or adding Monday service could capture additional trade from tourists and locals, particularly in peak season.