Location
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Asking price
£495,000
Property
Leasehold
Who’s it good for?
People with an eye for perfection and who aren’t shy of DIY/maintenance work. Miniature model, railway or dolls house enthusiasts. Someone who wants to relocate and live by the sea.
The industry
Tourism is the single largest industry in Norfolk, supporting over 59,000 people and contributing billions to the local economy.
Tourism in Great Yarmouth alone accounts for nearly 1.2 million staying visitors and nearly 3 million day visitors, accounting for a spend of approximately £531,865,000 per annum.
And Brits love model villages! Ranging from hobbyists to tourist attractions, the UK is home to more than 30 of these miniature villages, depicting everyday life on a smaller scale.
The business
When else could £495,000 buy you an entire village (it’s even got a bingo hall, stadium and a castle). The only problem is … it’s a little on the small side.
With a genuine reason for the sale – the owners of Merrivale model village, railway and gardens wish to retire after running the business since 2004, creating the rare and exciting opportunity to purchase one of Yarmouth’s best-loved family attractions.
Established for over half a century, this time-tested attraction has been a landmark for generations of locals.
Originally a children’s park, the model village was built in the early 60’s and the vast collection of mini models soon became one of the town’s most loved tourist attractions.
Enjoying a perfect location between Wellington Pier and the Pleasure Beach, the grounds stretch from Marine Parade to the beach.
Set in an immaculately-maintained acre of land, the award-winning landscaped gardens with streams and waterfalls are tended to by a full-time gardener and seasonal help depending on the month.
The current vendors have continuously invested in the business, maintaining, upgrading and refreshing all of the attractions.
Ensuring they keep up to date with the latest trends, the owners introduce new buildings to their current offering, last year they introduced an X factor stage and the Merrivale Eye, so there is plenty of scope for new owners to expand and capitalise on the latest trends.
A varied source of income
This highly profitable, multifaceted business opportunity also generates income from a variety of other sources, including rent from four units, a vintage penny arcade, tea rooms, nine hole crazy golf and film and TV location work.
The business is currently open daily between the months of March and October, but could be opened for the remaining 4 months if the new owners wish, they could also capitalise on the festive period by having Christmas-themed models and decorations.
With 4.7 stars on Google and a 4.5 star accolade on Trip Advisor the business has earned a Certificate of Excellence and a #3 ranking in things to do in Great Yarmouth. It was also the winner of the 2016 Great Yarmouth Business of the Year in the Leisure Industry category.
The owners told the local papers, ‘We decided that we would call it a day last year to spend more time with the grandchildren.’
‘There has been a lot of interest from around the country from people both in the attraction business and looking to enter it.
‘We want to find the right people to help continue this successful business and allow it to grow even further,’ he added. Could this person be you?
Further reading on businesses for sale
