Harbour Restaurant
It has been a difficult decision to bring the Harbour Restaurant to the market. We have had many happy years catering for both tourists and locals on the Isle of Skye but as I for one am approaching retirement, we now feel the time is right to offer our restaurant to a new owner so yes, this business is for sale. The Harbour Restaurant is an ideal lifestyle business opportunity which could easily be adapted to your own style whether it be restaurant or café.
The Journey
Our move from the beautiful and island of Mallorca was initiated by the disastrous financial crisis which started in 2008. This persisted in Spain through to the middle of the last decade. As a result we were to leave Mallorca with little more than the deposit to buy the Harbour Restaurant.
We had been scanning the “business for sale” websites for several months before stumbling across the Harbour Restaurant. It was something which immediately caught our eyes. We visited the premises, read the reviews, then back home to consider our move.
We made the decision to go ahead and drew up a business plan and all looked good. The arrangement of finance was next, then the offer, then the acceptance. We now owned our very own restaurant on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
We loaded up our LDV Maxus with our dogs, as much of our belongings as we could manage and sold the rest. The next day we headed to the ferry and the long drive through Spain, France and England. Five days later, on the 19th of November, we were in Broadford on the Isle of Skye unpacking our possessions into our flat which sits right above the restaurant.
Opening
We arrive on The Isle Skye, as I say, in late November. The flat was warm and welcoming and we were settled in no time. Soon we were down in the restaurant to start the final menu planning for the opening on 15th December. It might seem strange to start at the end of the season but for us it made sense. We were both new to owning and running our own restaurant so we used this time to get to know our suppliers and customers.
That Thursday saw us in at the deep end. The local community was obviously curious as to what a new restaurant in the village would bring. Lunch on the first day was busy and there was me with no experience front of house at the Harbour Restaurant. Cristina was busy in the kitchen but was able to keep an eye out for me. It wasn’t long before I found my feet and fell into the role with ease.
When we first saw the business for sale we had assumed a certain level of trade. We soon saw that we had underestimated the income on the business plan and that we had found a great business opportunity. This meant that for the first year we worked more than anticipated. Since we wanted to make a dent in the mortgage we decided to work a 12 month period without a break. We still managed to find the time to walk the dogs along the shore of Broadford bay twice a day.
The next few years saw us employing more staff and becoming busier and busier with each passing season. This gave us the opportunity of closing in the winter and and spending more time with our friends and family back in Mallorca.
We saved hard during this time and now have a second home back in Mallorca where we spend the winter months. We had never dreamed that this restaurant would produce such a great lifestyle business opportunity.
Time to put the business for sale.
Over twelve years have now past and we feel the time is right for us to make the next move. We have made many friends among the locals and with our many returning customers and we feel that Skye will always be our home. It is time to put this business for sale.
Now we have made the decision to put the Harbour Restaurant for sale. We have been running the restaurant with a Spanish theme since the beginning. We are also aware that it would equally suit many other styles including going back to its routes of over 40 years ago when it was a café/grill.
A business for you
If your prefer the quieter life of relaxing in the garden, painting, photography, Skye has it.
Whither you are looking to for an out and out business or to combine business and lifestyle the Harbour restaurant on the Isle of Skye could be the ideal opportunity for you. Skye has so much to offer. If you enjoy walking the hills or down by the shore, cycling on some of our quieter roads, mountain biking, or Kayaking or Sailing, Skye has it all.
Interested? We may be able to assist you with financing options to help with this purchase.
For further information please feel free to contact ourselves directly or our agent Martin Sutherland of Graham & Sibbald on 07768 704 203.