Business Sale — Sale — Freehold
Moore and Son
Long Buckby, Northamptonshire
Moore and Son is a business with a century of trading history. When Mr and Mrs Moore first approached Steve Bell in 2017, they were exploring their options. The initial preference was to sell the leasehold, keeping the freehold and finding an operator to take on the trading business. Steve's marketing generated a leasehold offer from a large corporate operator and the process moved forward. Then, just prior to exchange, the sale fell through. Then the business's main supplier went into administration. Mr and Mrs Moore made the decision to put the sale on hold entirely.
An instruction that has been through a failed sale is harder to bring to market a second time. The market tends to remember, and the questions prospective buyers ask become more pointed. The decision to pursue a freehold sale rather than a leasehold sale also changes the buyer profile significantly — a corporate operator considering a leasehold is a different buyer from an investor or operator considering the freehold. And then Covid-19 arrived.
When Mr and Mrs Moore were ready to proceed with the freehold sale, Steve arranged an open day: a structured viewing event designed to generate genuine interest and competition rather than drip-feeding individual viewings. The open day produced a high number of viewings and multiple offers. Within two weeks an offer was accepted. The sale then had to navigate Covid-19 — one of the most disruptive periods in recent commercial property history. Solicitors were working remotely, lenders applying additional scrutiny, and transactions across the sector stalling or collapsing. The Moore and Son sale completed despite all of it.
The sale of Moore and Son completed through Covid-19: a business with a century of trading history, a complex path to sale, and completion in one of the most difficult trading environments any agent has had to navigate. The thing that made the difference throughout — from the first conversation in 2017 to the day the sale completed — was continuity of relationship. When a transaction becomes complicated, the most valuable thing an agent can offer is availability.
The sale process was undoubtedly stressful and complex, but it was made much easier by the fact we could speak to Steve at almost any time. We recognise the value of using Steve and would recommend him to anyone.Mr & Mrs Moore — Moore and Son
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