Outdoor enthusiasts and Fife locals look forward to the prospect of popular café opening its doors again at Balmalcolm Den
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Lois Paterson
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The prospect of a previously much-loved café and meeting place coming back to life in a particularly attractive country setting in the heart of Fife is causing interest and excitement among outdoor enthusiasts and locals alike.
The high-quality former farm café at Balmalcolm Den, which used to be known as the Muddy Boots café, has come on to the market this autumn and, under new ownership, could bring a much-needed hospitality or retail vitality to the rural area.
The large, bright, open-plan building, which is flooded with natural daylight, has more than 70 covers and is being offered by DM Hall.
Interest is being piqued locally and within the Fife area since Balmalcolm Den has of late become the focus of a thriving community of businesses and service providers, offering pursuits such as yoga and wellness routines – including a Viking Heat Retreat, which features sauna and cold-water therapy sessions.
Other activities have included ceramics workshops which allow visitors to create their own pottery masterpiece and an outdoor first aid course for training to deal with incidents in remote locations.
A newly-occupied café is seen as adding another dimension to the community, and the landlords have looked to the burgeoning UK market for garden centres and restaurants as inspiration.
The café is located in Balmalcolm near Kingskettle, just five miles southwest of Cupar and five miles east of Falkland, both historic towns which boast a range of attractions and act as a magnet for thousands of visitors annually.
Within range of St Andrews, with its unrivalled international branding, the community is set within an area of surrounding natural scenery with woodland and a public footpath, which is well used by walkers and cyclists. There is ample parking on the café site.
There is an outdoor deck and paved area accessed by sliding glass doors, which has more than 50 additional covers. There is a large outdoor BBQ station and additional baking/refrigeration area, and the café is serviced by a biomass heating system.
Interest could be increased by a trend towards more local shopping, not unique to Fife, in which many towns are seeing premises being taken over by locally-owned and inspired food outlets, cafes and service offerings.
Leisure destinations also experienced significant growth during the pandemic and the market has noted that sales have not reverted to pre-lockdown levels but have, on the contrary, continued to increase.
They are also perceived by lenders as potentially high-end retail assets and, while lenders favour experience in the sector when considering whether to provide debt, they will also consider applicants with experience in similar sectors.
With a rent of £16,500 pa, the café forms part of a larger multi-use building and has a well-equipped commercial kitchen. The new owners are seeking to build a business community, where all businesses collaborate and support one another. It could be an attractive prospect for many people who want to start their own business and take control of their own destiny.
Lois Paterson is a Commercial Property Agent based at our Dunfermline office.
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