ONE of the Rivergate Shopping Centre's best known businesses has been listed for sale.

For the first time in 30 years, Freckleton's Cafe has come on to the market - as the present owners wish to retire.

The popular Irvine cafe is much-loved by locals, and has been a part of the shopping mall for a majority of its near 50 year existence.

The business has been listed for leasehold sale with estate agents Chris Hart and Co - with an asking price of offers in the region of £135,000.

(Image: Chris Hart and Co)

Describing the opportunity, the agents said: "Having run this successful highly profitable business for over 30 years the sellers now wish to retire creating an outstanding opportunity to acquire a well-known long-established business that has been placed on the market for the first time.

"Something that we have learned over many years of successfully selling businesses is one that has been owned and run by the sellers over a long period of time is clearly a good one as it will have provided them with a comfortable living.

"This is certainly the case in Freckleton’s Café, 30 years in the same ownership is a long time, there can’t be many, if any, small family run businesses in The Rivergate Shopping Mall that have achieved this.

"Over the many years that the sellers have run Freckleton’s Café they have built up a strong loyal customer base who use the café on a regular basis, as a result of this the sellers do virtually no marketing or promotion of the business."

Chris Hart and Co also highlight that the sale includes "high standard" fixtures and fittings - meaning little work would need to be completed by an prospective buyer.

(Image: Chris Hart and Co)

They added: "We feel there are a number of ways that the turnover could be increased. This would include a more aggressive marketing and promotion campaign as well as opening longer hours.

"Freckleton’s Café currently trades from nine till five Monday through to Saturday. Bearing in mind that the shopping mall is an important pedestrian link it is open 24 hours a day therefore the café could provide evening meals as well as be open on a Sunday.

"In addition as there is a strong demand for deliveries Freckletons Café could offer a carryout/delivery service using something like Just Eat for deliveries, all of which would increase the turnover."

The property listing can be viewed in full online at chris-hart.co.uk/viewproperty.aspx?id=22966.