AUCHINGARRICH WILDLIFE Park has come on to the market, offering buyers an opportunity to take on an established business which attracts in excess of 60,000 visitors yearly.

The wildlife park is nestled in the Perthshire hills on the outskirts of the village of Comrie and is currently run by the Scott family who have developed the business to a high standard over the past ten years.

The park includes the Torlum Coffee Shop, two indoor play areas, an outdoor adventure playground, an array of exotic and farm animal enclosures, a hatchery and animal feeding pens including wildcats, meerkats and otters. Four bait and fly-fishing ponds are on site and are stocked with rainbow trout from Easter until October.

It benefits from year-round trade and has witnessed good levels of growth in recent years with a three-year average turnover in the order of £585,000.

Also included in the sale is Auchingarrich Farmhouse, a traditional stone property centrally located within the grounds which extend in total to around 131 acres (53 hectares). The house offers a wealth of accommodation with five bedrooms (one with en-suite) and three reception rooms, three bathrooms and a separate study. The property enjoys a good level of privacy, set in attractive grounds with a landscaped garden overlooking a duck pond to the south.

Galbraith property agents are handling the sale of the wildlife park. Senior associate in commercial property, Harry Stott, commented: “Auchingarrich Wildlife Park is located in a highly sought-after location ideal for tourism related business. The business has a proven financial track record and is of an exceptional standard.

“The Torlum Coffee Shop is available for private hire for evening events or small intimate weddings, adding another business income," he continued. "We also believe there are good prospects of further diversification on the park in the form of developing self-catering accommodation on-site, such as chalets or glamping pods, subject to obtaining the necessary consents.

“Many improvements have been made under the current ownership, not least the development of a network of internal roads and pathways leading to the animal enclosures and attractions. The park has been immaculately maintained and is very well presented. The sale of Auchingarrich Wildlife Park will very much appeal to the lifestyle buyer seeking their next adventure in a stunning part of rural Perthshire,” he enthused.

Auchingarrich Wildlife Park owner, Andrew Scott, added: “We used to visit the park with our own children over the years when they were growing up, and having always been in the hospitality industry we jumped at the chance of owning it when it came up for sale 10 years ago. It represents the perfect work-life balance and fitted in with our outdoor lifestyle.

“Over the years we have invested much time and effort in creating a destination well-liked locally and enjoying many repeat visitors as well as welcoming visitors from further afield. The time has now come for us to retire and pass on Auchingarrich to its next set of enthusiastic owners who I’m sure will enjoy living here as well as running this fun-filled family business as much as we did,” he concluded.

The land is generally Grade 4(2) as rated by the James Hutton Institute for Soil Research and approximately 45 acres is laid to grass for rough grazing and has been divided into animal enclosures. Approximately 50 acres comprises woodland with a mix of broadleaves and conifers. The remainder of the land encompasses the café and sheds serving the wildlife park along with the car park. The land is not IACS registered and accordingly does not claim single farm payment entitlement.

The wildlife park is located approximately six miles west of Crieff and 23 miles east of Perth. The surrounding area is known for its unspoilt countryside with dramatic mountains, glens, lochs and rivers. Loch Earn is located a short distance to the west and is renowned as a haven for watersports, fishing is also available on the River Earn and the famous River Tay. The Loch Lomond and Trossach National Park lies to the west and is known for its outstanding beauty and is a major visitor attraction.

The A85 which runs through Crieff and Comrie and lies a short distance to the north of Auchingarrich Wildlife Park is a major tourist route linking Perthshire to the West Highlands.