Last of the Summer Wine cafe put up for sale
Blacks Business Brokers is selling The Wrinkled Stocking in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire with an asking price of £59,950 to take over the lease plus an annual rent of £7,735.
The Wrinkled Stocking Tea Rooms is named after the notoriously ill-fitting hosiery worn by Kathy Staff in her role as the formidable Nora Batty.
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Hide AdThe cafe is housed in the building which was used as the exterior of Compo's house in the long-running TV comedy and is accessed via the famous Nora Batty steps.
The Wrinkled Stocking occupies the ground and first floors of the property used as the exterior of Compo’s house.
Actor Bill Owen’s legendarily scruffy character was regularly filmed hanging out of the first floor window while proclaiming his undying affection for the long suffering Nora Batty, whose house was located next door.
The basement of the building houses the Last of the Summer Wine Museum. The museum, which is not connected to The Wrinkled Stocking, attracts tourists from around the world.
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Hide AdThe cafe, which is currently owned by Dennis and Jackie Fussell, has been in business for 38 years.
The couple have modernised the cafe and expanded the business into private events and catering as well as introducing full afternoon teas.
The Wrinkled Stocking will remain open until a new owner is found. The tea rooms can seat up to 34 customers and, in its most recent financial year, turned over £95,000.
Mr Fussell said, “Holmfirth certainly has more to offer than Last of the Summer Wine, but it still attracts masses of tourists who want to see the old stomping ground of their favourite characters. Our rear entrance is accessed via the famous ‘Nora Batty steps’, off which she would regularly chase Compo, Clegg and Foggy with a broom, so we are right at the heart of that experience.
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Hide Ad“We get a lot of customers from the US, Canada and New Zealand who are massive Last of the Summer Wine fans. Many of them connect with us on Facebook before even setting off for the UK, and they know every scene from every series.”
Amy Page, account manager at Blacks Business Brokers, said, “The Wrinkled Stocking has an in-built unique selling point for many of its customers but Mr and Mrs Fussell haven’t just sat back and traded on that. They have maintained the decor and fittings to a really high standard, pushed into new marketplaces, and established a solid presence on social media."