Sandsend: Local brothers snap up dream living and working by the sea opportunity after selling burgers from a horsebox

Cameron has just returned to the Yorkshire Coast from time in Buenos Aires and will team up with his brother who had previously being selling American style burgers from a mobile horse box.

The shop, which overlooks the beach and the sea in the popular coastal village just north of Whitby, belongs to the Mulgrave Estate, and dates back to the 20th century.

They are in the process of re-fitting out the shop, which is a hub for permanent village residents, and it will open for business next month.

While they hope to make the shop a food and drink destination with local coffee, craft beer and natural wines – they want to make sure the business retains what made the previous shop so important to people.

Gabe said: “We know that the store has been a key part of the community for decades, and we want to keep that neighbourhood/community feel, but while making it into a destination food and drink venue as well.

"We’re keeping the store side of the business going so people will still be able to buy everything they’ll need to cook up a breakfast or get their hands on some good quality produce, whether it’s dry cured Yorkshire bacon or milk or local bread or just some cool deli goods.

"I’ve always wanted to open a sandwich shop and with Cam recently moving back from Buenos Aires and a perfect space becoming available in Sandsend, it just felt like the right time.”

The shop was advertised as available back in March and prompted huge interest from people seeking a different work and life balance with the prospect of living and working by the sea.

The most famous couple to run Sandsend stores were Dougie and Elaine Raine, who started working there in 1965, before acquiring the business nine years later. They stayed there for 34 years.

A deal was agreed but the shop tenancy became available again weeks later – just as Cameron returned home.

He said: “This is an absolutely brilliant opportunity for us. Gabe started out in Sandsend with Mad Mary’s, a mobile horsebox, so the location made perfect sense and it feels like we’re coming full circle.

“We had talked about opening a physical shop in the area and when we saw Sandsend Stores up for lease the very next day, we couldn’t believe our luck. Within two weeks, we had signed the lease.

"We love it around here. It’s the chance to work with a constant sea view; looking out from an old building with heaps of character and potential. It’s a deceptively large space, with room outside on the sea-front and rising up to the hill behind, where we plan to expand seating to run special events and grow our own produce. It’s going to be good.”

The shop venture comes as the Estate looks to make a modern comeback by creating a sustainable and vibrant community for the local people of Lythe and Sandsend while attracting new people to the area who want to stay and make a lifestyle there.

The Mulgrave Estate is into year seven of a ten year strategy, agreed by a management board, to modernise and refresh the estate’s property and practices.

It has seen new tenants take on the local pub and campsite, a distillery open and a children’s nursery.

Estate properties that had become vacant and derelict are being renovated and offered to tenants looking to farm, adopt a rural lifestyle or to create their own business from home.

Robert Childerhouse, Mulgrave Estate Manager, said: “We are delighted to welcome Cameron and Gabe to Sandsend, where their plans for the former stores are very much welcomed and supported by the Estate and the local community.

“It is very rewarding to be able to offer this opportunity to two young, forward-looking and entrepreneurial local people, which has enabled their dream to become reality.

“The Mulgrave Estate has exciting plans to enhance the village and its immediate surroundings with more retail opportunities, increased car parking facilities - opening this year - and eateries in the next few years. Mary’s Sandwich Shop will be a crucial part of these plans.”