Business for Sale Overview:
Established for more than twenty years, this business is one of the leading film and TV prop hire businesses operating exclusively in the niche ‘food shoots’ sector. Ideally located in very well suited premises on the highly prestigious and appropriate Shepperton Studios site – a major UK film and TV facility with 20 stages, this business supplies a wide range of catering equipment – stainless steel, white goods, tables, chairs and appliances etc throughout the UK, but primarily in and around London and for use at Shepperton and its parent company’s Pinewood Studios.
The equipment this business supplies is used primarily behind camera on ‘food shoots’ – working equipment that is actually used behind the scenes to create the food featured in TV commercials and films. In addition the business supplies equipment which is actually included as set dressing in the film or commercial itself – refrigerators, gas hobs, range cookers, electric ovens, microwaves etc All stock is carefully selected and modified for fast and easy set up on set – gas hobs are converted to run on bottled gas for example, as well as for easy cleaning and maintenance.
The business also has a mobile Product Workshop – a vehicle designed and built specifically to be used as a kitchen workshop when filming is at a location where no preparation facilities are available. With it’s own power circuit, lighting, a built in water boiler for hot and cold running water and with fresh and grey water reservoirs, the unit has been designed to be very versatile with removable sections of work surfaces so that the workshop can be modified to include different appliances as may be required for different shoots.
For more information regarding this listing please contact us by completing the "Contact the Seller" form to the left. We look forward to hearing from you.
Property Features and Assets:
This business operates from very well suited premises, a unit of approximately 1100 square feet located at Shepperton Studios, a major UK feature film and TV facility, and one of the best known in the UK. (A further 800 sq ft storage facility is rented nearby). As such the business is ideally located to service its core customer base of production companies located in a geographic triangle with Shepperton Studios in Middlesex, Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire and the West End of London at its corners.
The studio premises are leased with the current agreement due to expire in December 2009 at an annual rent of £19,200 and the outside storage at £6000, both inclusive of Rates. Indications have been given in the past that a new lease would be made available to a new Owner of the business, however the business is easily relocatable within its immediate catchment area.
Market Competition and Expansion:
Having been established for so long and with an extensive loyal Client base, this business has little need of heavyweight investment in marketing and advertising benefiting from the most cost effective marketing of all, word of mouth recommendation.
This business has a website enjoying an average of 45,000 hits per month and appears as a free listing in all the main industry directories. It also takes quarter page paid for ads in the two key trade communications – Kays Production Manual and Kays Art Department Diary supplemented with post card mailings approximately three times per year to an up to date mailing list of Production Companies, Art Directories, Stylists etc.
Reason for Selling:
This is a genuine retirement sale.
Additional Details:
- The property is leased.
- The owner is willing to train/assist the new owner.
- This is not a homebased business opportunity.
- This is not a franchise resale opportunity.
- This is not a distressed business or bankruptcy situation.
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