Leasehold Coffee Shop In Canterbury, Kent

Business Description

LOCATION
Positioned right next to the iconic entrance of Canterbury Cathedral, this stunning recently renovated Grade II listed building sits in a prime trading spot in the heart of the vibrant Butter Market. With nearly 1 million tourists visiting the Cathedral each year, this location benefits from an exceptional flow of foot traffic.
The area is also surrounded by bustling offices, banks, and national retailers, creating strong all-day trade. Add to that Canterbury’s thriving student population of over 40,000, and you've got a dynamic mix of locals, tourists, and students — making this one of the most desirable commercial locations in the city!

BUSINESS
Beautiful Stylish, Turnkey Opportunity with Untapped Potential! Premises professionally fitted out in a contemporary style when opened by the current vendors in 2021, this well-loved café has built a strong reputation for serving speciality coffee alongside an artisan-style brunch and lunch menu.
The premises have been under the same ownership for four years, initially set up as part of a different strategic direction focused on retail outlets. Today, the business is only being brought to market due to the vendor's primary enterprise experiencing rapid national growth, leaving little capacity to focus on this site.
Fully staff-run and operating smoothly with minimal day-to-day involvement from the parent brand, the café presents an excellent turnkey opportunity for a new owner to step in and develop it further. Notably, the business holds a valuable alcohol licence for both on- and off-premises sales, with trading hours permitted from 10am to 11pm, seven days a week — a benefit that is currently not being utilised.
At present, the café trades exclusively during daytime hours (8:30am – 5:00pm), leaving the evening trade entirely untapped. There is significant potential to extend opening hours and develop a European-style evening café/bar, especially given the property's prime location and proximity to Canterbury’s thriving student population. This represents a fantastic opportunity to attract a younger evening crowd, increase turnover, and fully capitalise on the premises’ full licence and potential.

TURNOVER
Accounts for the year end Dec 24 show sales of £277,577 @ 79% G.P. Net profit £34,000 pa (Fully staff operated)

STAFF
1 full time salaried manager plus 5 part time on zero hour contracts. Wage Bill: £101,000 pa.

HOURS
8.30am - 5.00pm Mon to Sat
10.00am - 4.00pm Sun

PREMISES
An imposing mid-parade Grade II listed premises, full of character and period charm, boasting an attractive double frontage and a central single entrance leading into a beautifully presented café space.
Café Area:
Stylishly designed with a modern aesthetic, offering seating for up to 42 covers. Features include a contemporary exposed counter, glass-fronted cake display, and a top-of-the-range espresso machine, coffee grinder, EPOS till system, chilled drinks display fridge, under-counter refrigeration, and ample shelving and storage throughout.
Ancillary Areas:
Small mop/store room with sink & CCTV
Dry store area
Separate WC with hand wash basin
Kitchen & Prep Area: Comfortably equipped space featuring (Please note deep fat frying is not currently allowed):
Stainless steel prep surfaces and wipe-clean, food-safe wall coverings
Double stainless steel sink with drainer
Dishwasher and hand wash basin
Two tall fridges and one tall freezer
Oven with light commercial extraction system
Dual hotplate and microwave oven
Basement:
Stairs lead down to a generous 700 sq ft full-height basement, providing excellent additional storage space, including two chest freezers and ambient storage areas.

TENURE
5 year lease from 25th October 2021. Rent £45,000 pa. New lease can be granted and taken up to 10 years upon request and necessary checks.

EPC RATING
TBA

BUSINESS RATES
£10,300 PA (2025/2026 Payable)

Property Information

Property:

Leasehold

Premises details:

An imposing mid-parade Grade II listed premises, full of character and period charm, boasting an attractive double frontage and a central single entrance leading into a beautifully presented café space.<br>Café Area:<br>Stylishly designed with a modern aesthetic, offering seating for up to 42 covers. Features include a contemporary exposed counter, glass-fronted cake display, and a top-of-the-range espresso machine, coffee grinder, EPOS till system, chilled drinks display fridge, under-counter refrigeration, and ample shelving and storage throughout.<br>Ancillary Areas:<br>Small mop/store room with sink & CCTV<br>Dry store area<br>Separate WC with hand wash basin<br>Kitchen & Prep Area: Comfortably equipped space featuring (Please note deep fat frying is not currently allowed):<br>Stainless steel prep surfaces and wipe-clean, food-safe wall coverings<br>Double stainless steel sink with drainer<br>Dishwasher and hand wash basin<br>Two tall fridges and one tall freezer<br>Oven with light commercial extraction system<br>Dual hotplate and microwave oven<br>Basement:<br>Stairs lead down to a generous 700 sq ft full-height basement, providing excellent additional storage space, including two chest freezers and ambient storage areas.<br><br>

Business Operation

Trading hours:

8.30am - 5.00pm Mon to Sat 10.00am - 4.00pm Sun

Other Information

Furniture / Fixtures value:

Undisclosed

Inventory / Stock value:

Undisclosed