Tully's of Rothbury, High Street, Rothbury, Morpeth, NE65 7TB

Tully’s have been providing groceries to their catchment area for 125 years and until 27 years ago had been in the same family for three generations creating provenance, evolution and history.

A traditional independent grocery business and a member of the Guild of Fine Food, they have fiercely defended their independent status in order to sustain an expansive range of local artisan produce but they also have a wide range of British and continental artisan fine food.

Environmental and ethical produce and food miles are considered the cornerstone of the business.

It also has a licensed ‘Tiny Tea Room’ offering a wide range of freshly brewed teas, coffees and local ales, locally baked scones, traditional cakes and toasted Selkirk Bannock as a speciality

Highly visible, and, as identified by regular surveys, in a prime location on the busy High Street in the pretty rural market town of Rothbury, gateway to the beautiful Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of the Northumberland National Park. There is free parking on the High Street and throughout the town centre and a free council car park a short walk away on the other side of the river.

There are numerous complimentary independent businesses that help to drive footfall with locals, day trippers, tourists and holidaymakers alike.

Rothbury, a very popular rural spa town for many decades, is part of a 14 mile equidistant triangle with the county town of Alnwick and the county administrative centre of Morpeth. It is 26 miles North of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and 35 miles from the Scottish border which is a significant source of visitor trade.

Rothbury is currently thriving with a growing population over recent years from numerous new residential housing estates and an influx of tourists and day-trippers throughout most months of the year to various caravan/camping sites and self-catering accommodation within the extremely attractive surrounding countryside.

Only a mile away is the very popular visitor attraction of Cragside House and grounds, owned by the National Trust, famous for its hydro-electricity and rhododendron displays.

Rothbury benefits from many amenities including a cottage hospital with general & dental practices & physio; nursery, first & middle schools; library & arts centre; golf, football, tennis clubs & fitness centre. The River Coquet, popular with the fishing fraternity, flows through the centre of the town. Close by are the ancient Simonside and Cheviot Hills in an area of Northumberland famed for its dark skies.

Our clients purchased the business over 27 years ago and are now seeking to retire. During their ownership they have carried out major refurbishments including doubling the shop footprint and the restoration of original pine panelling in the main retail area.

The main sales area has bespoke wooden shelving and a central gondola. This leads on to the deli & prep area, cosy tea room, store room and office. Equipment consists of two deli counters, upright 3 door freezer, large dairy cabinet, chilled drinks cabinet, and a cold room. The shop is south facing with original canvas sun canopy. It benefits from air-conditioning in the main sales areas.

There is a seemingly endless and varied list of produce available, especially for those that like to cook, including locally sourced sourdough bread, biscuits, coffee and tea, preserves, honey, chutneys, craft ales and spirits, cheese and butchery as well as charcuterie, dried fruits, seeds, herbs and spices, oils and vinegars, soft drinks, cakes, organic fresh fruit and vegetables, wines and a selection of ethical household produce.

All fixtures and fittings are to be included within the sale apart from any items owned by a third party or personal to our clients.

Comprising store-room, office and tea-room prep area, and staff/customer toilet. There is a lockable corridor to the side of the property used for storage and deliveries. This has shared access with the residential accommodation above the shop but is rarely used by them.

To purchase a lifestyle business and to work/live in an area of outstanding natural beauty and within a vibrant community with extensive social opportunities. Tully’s of Rothbury is a traditional independent grocery with a modern slant on fine food and have been providing goods to the surrounding area for 125 years. Much of the emphasis of the business is towards providing the basic ingredients to produce quality food for the table in an area where many people like to cook for themselves and where local produce is very much sought after. To date, they have around 60 suppliers within their ‘local’ catchment making up about 35% of stocked items.

There are two other local food stores in the nearby vicinity, a Co-op in the town itself and a Spar with fuel in the next village. These are complimentary businesses stocking a completely different range of products and help to keep more shopping local rather than travelling to the larger supermarkets 15 miles away.

Over the years the business has won and been shortlisted for several National & Regional awards, including BBC Radio4 ‘Best Local Food Retailer’, Countryside Alliance ‘Best Traditional Rural Retailer’, Northumberland Local Food ‘Gold’ Award and Northumberland ‘Best Small Business’.

Both of our clients work full time in the business, currently with the help of 1 senior sales assistant, 2 other sales assistants and Saturday/holiday staff.

Turnover for year end 2024/25 was £305,800 producing a gross profit of £90,160 (29.5%).

NB: Year end figures can vary quite considerably depending on stock amounts and when Easter falls.

Full accounting information will be made available to seriously interested parties.

The business opens 6 days a week from 9am to 5pm. There is scope to open on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays, if desired. In addition to shop sales, they offer deliveries and mail order sales. Bespoke hampers are popular all year round but especially during festive periods. The business has an established online and social media presence mainly operating via Facebook and Instagram. A new website is currently under construction. There is scope to extend sales in all directions.

The Rateable Value is £6,000 with effect from April 2025 with the Charge For Period £2994.

However, this business qualifies for Small Business Relief and no payment is required in respect of the current year.

Confirmation of actual business rates payable should be obtained from the local authority.

There are Licences in place to cover off-sales and also to serve alcohol on the premises.