Devon village stores attract strong interest
Shop sold in award-winning village
Most retailers can see the attraction of having sole access to a market, but there are a limited number of locations where it can work.
The only general store in the award-winning Devon village of Tedburn St Mary, on the edge of Dartmoor, has been sold through the Exeter office of specialist business agents, Christie & Co.
Tedburn Village Store occupies a substantial period property with four-bedroom owner’s accommodation in Tedburn St Mary, which won the UK ‘Village of the Year’ accolade in 2001 from among more than 1,500 competing villages.
The competition aimed to find the place with the strongest spirit and liveliest social scene. Tedburn St Mary was announced as the 2001 winner by Prince Charles at an awards ceremony in London. The village was praised for its close-knit community spirit and described as “a Devon village that has struggled with foot and mouth and fought hard to retain essential services such as its doctor’s surgery and post office.”
Full of old and thatched buildings, Tedburn St Mary is a charming little village with a friendly atmosphere located in the heart of the Devon countryside, some six miles west of Exeter, just off the main A30 Exeter to Okehampton road. The village has two churches, a post office, two pubs and the general stores.
Proprietors Sid and Louise Benton had owned and operated Tedburn Village Store since 1998 and have now sold the business in order to retire, although they intend to remain in the area. The purchasers are Richard and Lisa Perryman from Shobrooke village in Devon.
The business trades as a general store offering a comprehensive range of general groceries, newspapers and magazines, off licence products, frozen food, fruit and vegetables, fresh produce, ice cream and confectionery.
Paul Heather, associate director at the Exeter office of Christie & Co, said: “This very attractive period property in a very desirable village appealed to all those seeking a lifestyle business opportunity and we received a high level of interest.”
