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GENERAL INFORMATION
VIEWING
Viewing is strongly recommended and can be done by appointment with DAVID or DONNA BASFORD.
TEL: 01358 701628 or email donnabasford@btconnect.com
DIRECTIONS
From Aberdeen take the A90 north towards Peterhead. Turn left along the Ellon bypass on the A948 towards New Deer and the fishery is on the left hand side of the road 7 miles from Ellon.
BACKGROUND
The Mill of Elrick fish farm and fishery has been run for the past 20 years by Dave and Donna Basford. It is probably the best small trout farm site in Scotland having a plentiful supply of good quality water and the security of all being visible from the fish farm house. Under the present owners the farm site has been expanded to meet the growing demand for quality trout by the many local fisheries. The site is self-contained having its own hatchery and on growing facilities. New fish have not been taken onto the site since 2002 and thus it is free of all notifiable diseases.
The buildings have been renewed and well maintained and all the fish farming equipment and stock are for sale.
The grounds are well matured having been planted with a collection of native and unusual trees and shrubs. There are two aviaries within the grounds. This rural location supports a wide variety of wildlife, ospreys are commonly seen spectacularly taking fish from the lochs whilst the otters and roe deer are less obvious but are regular visitors.
The 5 bedroom fish farm house was renovated in 1991 and affords a comfortable sanctuary. The living room has a large picture window affording a wonderful view over the upper loch. The house has a well maintained garden with soft fruit, vegetables and a wide selection of flowers.
The present owners are selling to expand their game bird rearing enterprise. They have run the farm for 20 years, have bred all the trout species, made their own triploiding vessel and produced triploided trout. They have a great deal of experience and would welcome the chance to assist the new owners to expand the business. They intend moving to the adjacent cottage on the site for one year whilst the game farm house is built off-site and thereafter would offer the additional house and the adjacent cottage building site, for sale to the new owners.
AMENITIES
There is an excellent primary school in the village of Auchnagatt less than a mile away. There are doctors and dentist practices in Ellon and Mintlaw, both 7 miles away. For shopping, the farm is in easy reach of the expanding town of Ellon and both Peterhead and Aberdeen. Aberdeen, has an excellent theatre several cinemas and a university. It is a mainline rail station with sleeper services to the south and an airport with regular flights to London and beyond.
Top quality Salmon and sea-trout fishing is also available nearby with access to the rivers Ythan, Deveron, Don and Dee. The fishery is supplied from our own farm where fish over 20 lb have been grown. Being set equidistant between Inverurie, Peterhead and Aberdeen means that a large catchment of anglers can be catered for. There are numerous excellent golf courses in the vicinity, from Cruden Bay, Duff House Royal in Banff to Turriff, Longside and Ellon.
THE BUSINESS
Fishing is an expanding pastime. With the rivers producing fewer fish there has been a large expansion in the number of fisheries but there are few fish farms to supply them. Additional farms are unlikely due to the restriction of abstraction consents thus fish farms like this are jewels, supplying superb quality disease free fish for local anglers. The present owners changed the focus of the business from producing table trout to supplying live trout for anglers in response to the expansion in the angling market. Whilst trout farming is still very labour intensive much of the heavy work has been reduced by careful planning and mechanical aids. The present owners concentrated mainly on the farm and it is thought there is considerable room for expansion of the fishery.
WATER SUPPLY
The farm is supplied with water from the Ebrie burn. This small river runs at a constant height never having flooded the farm but also, even on the driest summer, never running so low that the reserve 3 phase recirculation pumps have been required. The water quality is excellent the supply river being the second biggest tributary of the legendary sea-trout river Ythan. It has obviously thus been of excellent quality for many years. The farm is totally gravity fed thus reducing overhead costs and eliminating the worry of electricity failure. In addition there are spring supplies to the hatcheries.
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
There are many legal requirements placed on farms, from testing the quality of the effluent water, to controlling the water abstraction. The fish are also regularly checked for notifiable diseases and chemical contaminants. All regulatory checks are up to date.
INGOING VALUATION
The present policy has been not to take in fish but only eggs which can be disinfected. It takes three years to grow fish to saleable size so the farm must have not only the size of fish ready for sale but also those for the following two years, and indeed brood stock. Thus the farm carries a large stock of fish and the stock has not been reduced in preparation for the sale. It is therefore a condition of sale that, in addition to the purchase price, the purchaser takes over the fish stock both in the rearing ponds and in the lochs.
There is also a large amount of ancillary equipment from pipework, tanks, aerators, vehicles (fork-lift, digger and pick-up) transportation tanks etc etc. The farm equipment is in excellent state of maintenance and relatively new and it is expected that the purchaser would want to buy the equipment with the site. If however some items are not wanted the present owners may wish to sell them separately.
ENTRY
By arrangement.
RATEABLE VALUE
No rates are payable as the business is presently run.
COUNCIL TAX
The Fish Farm house is Band E.
ASKING PRICE
Offers over £750,000
VALUE ADDED TAX
All sums detailed in these particulars are expressed exclusive of Value Added Tax (if any) which may be payable thereon.
NOTICE OF INTEREST
Prospective purchasers should note interest formally through their Solicitors with Michael Sinclair or Ritchie Whyte of Aberdein Considine & Company, Solicitors, 8 & 9 Bon Accord Crescent, Aberdeen, AB11 6DN (T) 01224 337466 (F) 01224 337469 or email commercial@acandco.com otherwise they may not be informed of a closing date for offers and the property may be sold without notice.
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