Highwayman's Haunt Chudleigh FOR SALE - 28th May 2010

One of the West Country’s well renowned dining pub/restaurants for sale

The Highwayman’s Haunt at Chudleigh in Devon is a well regarded and busy destination pub and restaurant, with an enviable turnover. A Grade II Listed thatched property it is now for sale through licensed property specialists Stonesmith of Exeter.

The Highwayman’s Haunt has an enviable turnover but still offers new owners the opportunity to grow the business further. The present licensees have developed the business considerably during their ownership and attract custom from a wide catchment area, however hardly any advertising or marketing is undertaken, though they do have their own website www.thehighwaymanshaunt.com.

Over the past 4 years they have invested substantially in the business and have carried out numerous projects to improve and refurbish the property to a high standard throughout. This has ensured excellent levels of repeat trade, word of mouth recommendations and an enviable reputation for high quality freshly prepared food, using the finest of local produce, resulting in a trade split of 80% to food sales and 20% to wet sales.

The Highwayman’s Haunt is an impressive and attractive detached property which is believed to date back to around 1300, when it was originally a Devon longhouse. During the latter part of the 20th Century the property was substantially extended to provide additional trade areas and commercial kitchens. The property has though retained much of its original Olde Worlde charm and original features, including exposed stone work, beamed ceilings, panelled walls and inglenook fireplaces.

The property is situated in a rural position on the fringes of the Dartmoor National Park and half a mile outside of the traditional Devon village of Chudleigh, which is adjacent to the A38 Devon Expressway and 8 miles from the Cathedral and regional City of Exeter.

This high quality public house and restaurant briefly provides a lounge bar with 22 covers, sun lounge with 60 covers, a lower restaurant with 21 covers, a higher restaurant with 40 covers and a rear dining room with a further 24 covers. There is a commercial kitchen with extensive back-up facilities and spacious 4/5 bedroomed private accommodation. The property is set in approximately 4 acres of grounds and includes a paddock, formal gardens, private gardens, trade terraces with 114 covers, a vegetable garden and parking for 80 plus vehicles.

“High turnover businesses of the calibre of the Highwayman’s Haunt rarely come on to the open market and we expect significant interest in this exceptionally profitable country inn” reports Mike Phillips of Stonesmith.

A leasehold business Stonesmith are looking for offers off an asking price of £195,000