Business For Sale

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 and Internet 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. Other income streams arise from the hire of tables, chairs and laundry equipment within Shepperton and Pinewood Studios – this business is the only on-site stockist of these items at Shepperton. A further line of hire is backless appliances – fridges, ovens, microwaves and washing machines that have had the back panel removed used for shots where the camera appears to be inside the appliance itself. And with additional services such as the supply of bottled gas and ancillaries such as smoke packs for ‘steam’ effects on food, this really is a ‘one stop shop’ for all ‘food shoot’ prop hire. Not content to stay in the kitchen, for shower and bath scenes this business has also designed and built two mobile hot water delivery systems – wheeled units of approximately 6ft x 6ft x 2ft incorporating a condensed version of a home plumbing design widely used for feature films and in the making of commercials for shampoos and bath products, for example. A well known and instantly recognized name within the TV and film sector this business works very closely with production companies to ensure their full requirements are met for each and every job – often recommending equipment that more closely fits the bill than that originally specified. Not surprisingly therefore, appliances supplied by this business have been used by many TV chefs including Jamie Oliver, Gary Rhodes and Gordon Ramsay as well as featuring in many other TV programs, TV commercials, feature films, book covers and poster advertising. Very well established and with an enviable reputation for professionalism, this business operates in a very glamorous and highly attractive sector. With turnover in recent years consistently in the region of £200,000; £220,000 for the financial year ending March 2009 generating pre-tax net operating profits of approximately 50%, this business should appeal to any mainstream film and TV prop hire company looking to extend its presence into the ‘food shoots’ arena or to an individual looking to establish themselves in this sector by acquiring one its market leading businesses.

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Property Features and Assets:

This business operates from very well suited premises, a unit of approximately 1,100 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 square feet 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: