Bibury Trout Farm & Visitor Centre

Bibury, Cirencester, GL7 5NL

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At a glance

Bibury Trout Farm & Visitor

Centre

Successful Business in the

Coln valley

Popular Cotswold tourist

attraction

Thriving visitor centre

Grade II listed 4 bedroom

Shoecroft Barn

40 Earth ponds, hatchery

and fryary operation.

Site extending to 13.8 acres

(5.5ha)

Renowned and profitable business with accommodation in the heart of the Cotswolds The Property

Bibury Trout Farm is one of Britain’s oldest, and certainly most attractive, trout

farms. Founded in 1902 by the famous naturalist Arthur Severn, it was created

to stock the local rivers and streams with native Brown Trout. The site covers

one of the most beautiful valleys in the Cotswolds, the Coln Valley. The current

owners took over the fish farm in 2001 and have developed the business into

one of the country’s leading fish farms together with a very successful visitor

centre.

Location

The property is located in the village of Bibury in the heart of the Cotswolds,

6.5 miles from Cirencester and 10 miles from Burford. It is within easy reach of

Cheltenham (22 miles) and the motorway network, M5 Junction 11A (20 miles).

Mainline train service at Kemble (12 miles) to London Paddington (80 minutes).

Bibury Village

Bibury Trout Farm stands in the centre of the village, which is at the heart of the

Cotswold tourist trail. The village of Bibury itself was famously referred to as

the ‘most beautiful village in England’ by William Morris. On the banks of the

river Coln, Bibury itself is rich in both history and nature. The cottages known

as Arlington Row are believed to have been built around 1380 as a monastic

wool store and later converted into weavers' cottages in the 17th century.

The site extends in total to approximately 13.8 acres (5.5 ha) as shown on the

site plan.

Shoecroft Barn

The south-facing Shoecroft Barn is positioned overlooking the fish farm. A

Grade II Listed barn conversion providing living accommodation on two upper

floors with storage on the lower floor.

A traditional barn converted on the first and second floors together with four

bedrooms and two bathrooms. Planning permission has been granted to

convert the ground floor workshops and incorporate them into the main house.

Outside

A range of traditional buildings currently housing the fish smoker and the

remainder used for storage.

Visitor Centre

The retail shop and café are located on the south west corner of the site

alongside the main road running through the village and are reached via a

timber bridge over the Millrace. The building is mainly built of Cotswold stone

under a Cotswold stone tiled roof with a timber extension to the rear with a

veranda overlooking the water.

The layout includes a fresh fish counter, retail area and cold store with an office

and storage on the first floor. The café is located in a small timber cabin under

a felted roof with servery overlooking a terrace with tables under marquees.

A number of the buildings on the site may have development potential. A pre-application has been submitted to Cotswold District Council to assess a number of possibilities for the property.

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The Visitor Centre includes wide gravel pathways for guided

tours with picnic areas and a children’s play area. A “catch

your own fishery” includes a timber fishing hut under a

shingle roof and seating area with an adjacent car park.

Cotswold Tourism

Cotswolds Tourism, as the official Destination Management

Organisation for the area, conducts an annual Economic

Impact Study into tourism in the area. The report highlights

the number of unique visitors in 2017 were 1.1m (up 42%

on 2016). Bibury trout farm itself received 53,390 visitors in

2017, with many more visiting the shop and café.

Rack Isle

A detached two storey natural stone building under a tiled

roof situated opposite the Visitors Centre. Currently used as

a storage area on the ground floor and an office on the first

floor accessed via a spiral staircase.

Planning permission for residential conversion was passed

many years ago, but has subsequently lapsed.

Trout Farm

The farm is well positioned on an island between the River

Coln and the Millrace which forms the southern boundary of

the property. Bibury Trout Farm is managed as a hatchery

and the farm currently produces about 80 tonnes per year

of high quality brown and rainbow trout bred and reared for

restocking fisheries, rivers and reservoirs as well as

supplying the Visitor Centre shop and beginners fishery.

The River Coln and Millrace serve five main waters at the

heart of the site, fully aerated, alongside a series of rearing

ponds connected by feeder channels with sluice gates and

an overflow to the Millrace.

The rearing ponds to the west of the site are reached via a

bridge over the river with separate track access from an

adjacent lane. The ponds are maintained at up to 20ft

depths with the settlement pond alongside.

The western

end of the fish

farm has the

potential to be

re-landscaped

and developed

for glamping or

continued in its

current format.

The farm is bordered by open fields and woodland through

which the river flows. There is a total water area of 4.3

acres (1.7 ha) with 44 individually fed ponds from the river/

mill stream.

The Hatchery

Fed by the Bibury Spring, the farm rears its own fry with a

capacity of up to 6 million eggs per year as well as sales of

ova and fry within the industry. The hatchery has Global

Gap, Freedom Foods and RSPCA accreditation.

The hatchery is located on the east boundary, a Cotswold

stone building under a pitch stoned tiled roof with a stone

extension under a felted flat roof. The hatchery has the

benefit of hatching trays, zouga jars, external raceways/

hatching boxes, 10 covered concrete rearing tanks, spring

water system, pump room, storage area and staff welfare

room.

The farm is fed by the River Coln via the Millrace. EA

abstraction licences for 2.2 million gallons per day plus an

additional 1 million gallons per day between May and

November.

The Business

The accounts for the year ending 28th February 2018 show

a turnover of £1,311,000.

The Trout Farm turnover was £466,000.

The Visitor Centre (café, retail sales, entrance fees, fishery)

currently turns over approximately £845,195

Profit and loss accounts will be made available to serious

potential buyers after viewing.

TUPE

The Visitor Centre employs a full time operations manager,

6 full time persons and 6 part time persons. The Trout Farm

employs 7 full time persons and 2 part time persons.

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The purchaser will be required to comply with the relevant

legislation in respect of present employed staff. A staff list

can be made available to seriously interested parties.

Development Potential

It has been identified that there is potential to restructure

the business in the future with the potential to scale down

the fish farm production and simplify the business model.

The centre of the fish farm opposite Shoecroft Barn,

subject to planning and the appropriate consents from the

Environment Agency, could be re-landscaped to create a

conservation or fishing lake.

The western end of the fish farm has the potential to be re-

landscaped and developed for glamping or continued in its

current format.

The hatchery building, subject to planning, could be

converted into a café/restaurant. Rack Isle may have

development potential as a holiday accommodation. A pre-

application has been submitted to Cotswold District Council

to assess the various possibilities for the property.

Fixtures, Fittings & Equipment

A detailed list can be made available to seriously interested

parties.

Shop Stock

All stock forming part of the Visitor Centre is available by

separate negotiation. The shop/café stocks an average of

£25,000 of stock during the year.

Fish Stocks

The fish stocks vary during the year due to the production

cycle. The purchase of the fish stock will be by separate

negotiation, at cost price.

Planning Permission

Bibury Trout Farm and Visitor Centre has operated at its

current use for many years. Planning permission was

granted for the erection of a single storey extension to form

toilets dated 18th March 2016. Permission is currently being

sought to extend the car park to provide an additional 27

spaces including 5 disabled spaces.

Services

Mains water is connected to Shoecroft Barn, Visitor Centre

and the hatchery. 3-phase electricity throughout the site

plus two back up generators in case of mains failure. Septic

tank drainage for Shoecroft Barn, mains drainage to the

Visitor Centre.

Council Tax

Shoecroft Barn – Council Tax Band G

Council Tax payable 2018/19 £2,700

Business Rates

Shop and Premises rateable value - £3,600

Rates payable 2018/19 £0 The business currently qualifies

for 100% small business rate relief.

Agents’ Notes

Tenure & Possession

The property is offered for sale freehold as a whole or in

two lots with vacant possession on completion.

Rights of Way & Easements

The property is sold subject to and with the benefit of all

existing Rights of Way, whether public or private, light,

support, drainage, water and electricity supplied in other

rights obligations, easements, quasi-easements and

restrictive covenants or all existing proposed wayleaves for

masts, staves, cables, drains, water and gas and other

pipes, whether referred to in these particulars or not.

Consumer Protection Regulations

Under the regulations, what we say or publish about a

property must not be false or misleading and we must

provide certain material information to enable a potential

viewer or purchaser to take an informed transactional

decision.

Measurements

Any areas, measurements or distances referred to as

approximate are given as a guide and are not precise. If

such details are fundamental to a purchase, purchasers

must rely on their own enquiries.

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Important Notice

Fenn Wright for themselves and the Vendor of this property

whose Agents they are, give notice that:

The particulars are intended to give a fair and substantially

correct overall description for the guidance of intending

purchasers and do not constitute part of an offer or

contract.

Prospective purchaser/s and lessees should seek their own

professional advice. All descriptions, dimensions, areas,

reference to condition and if necessary permissions for use

and occupation and their details are given in good faith and

believed to be correct.

Any intending purchaser/s should not rely on them as

statements or representations of fact but must satisfy

themselves by inspection or otherwise as to the correctness

of each of them.

No person in the employment of Fenn Wright has any

authority to make or give any representation or warranty,

whether in relation to this property or these particulars, nor

to enter into any contract relating to the property on behalf

of the Vendors.

No responsibility can be accepted for any expenses

incurred by any intending purchaser/s in inspecting

properties that have been sold, let or withdrawn.

Local Authority

Cotswold District Council

Trinity Road

Cirencester

Gloucestershire

GL7 1PX

T: 01285 623000

Photographs taken: 2018

Particulars prepared: November 2018

Guide Price

Please refer to the agent’s website and or covering letter.

Stock available in addition.

Viewing Strictly by Appointment Through:

Fenn Wright

1 Tollgate East

Stanway

Colchester

CO3 8RS

Tel: 01206 216555

Email: tjg@fennwright.co.uk / mjf@fennwright.co.uk

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Plans

Bibury Trout Farm and Visitor Centre is situated in the

centre of Bibury (postcode: GL7 5NL).

*Safety Note to Buyers*

Please ensure care is taken when viewing and walking

near to lakes and areas of water. Do not walk close to

the edge of waterways, and ensure children are

supervised at ALL times.

Lakes, Ponds & Rivers can be very dangerous so

THINK SAFETY FIRST!

Directions

To find out more or book a viewing

01206 216 555

Fenn Wright is East Anglia’s leading, independently owned firm of chartered

surveyors, estate agents and property consultants.

• Residential, commercial and agricultural sales and lettings • development, planning and new homes • agricultural property advice, farms and land • mortgage valuations, Homebuyers reports and building surveying • Fisheries (UK and France) and equestrian property (UK-wide)

Consumer Protection Regulations 2008

Fenn Wright has not tested any electrical items, appliances, plumbing or heating

systems and therefore cannot testify that they are operational. These particulars are

set out as a general outline only for the guidance of potential purchasers or tenants and

do not constitute an offer or contract. Photographs are not necessarily comprehensive or

current and all descriptions ,dimensions ,references to condition necessary permissions

for use and occupation and other details are given in good faith and believed to be

correct but should not be relied upon as statements of, or representations of, fact.

Intending purchasers or tenants must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise

as to the correctness of each of them. We have taken steps to comply with Consumer

Protection Regulations 2008, which require both the seller and their agent to disclose

anything, within their knowledge, that would affect the buying decision of the average

consumer. If there are any aspects of this property that you wish to clarify before

arranging an appointment to view or considering an offer

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