Beeches of Walkley: Popular Sheffield shop for sale at £40,000 as concerns grow that it could close for good

Beeches of Walkley, a butchers, deli and grocery store, which is also home to a post office, has been a fixture on South Road, Walkley, for many years. But owners Chris and Donna Beech have put it on the market and reduced the price to £40,000 as they seek a ‘quick sale’. They wrote: “Now taking serious offers to keep your local community shop and We are POST office open.”

Customers have reacted with horror at the thought of losing the shop, with one person commenting: ‘Sad to see you selling up. Do hope someone takes it on as would be such a shame to lose it.” Another shopper simply wrote: “Noooooo!!”

Chris and Donna had previously put the shop on the market before having a change of heart and, driven by a love for the area and a desire to reinvigorate its shopping offering, deciding to reinvest in the business. The couple had a huge scare when, in 2020, Donna described how she had felt an ‘explosion in my head’ as she suffered a life-threatening brain haemorrhage at the shop.

Beeches of Walkley is listed for sale on Rightmove, where it says weekly sales are in the region of £6,000 but there is ‘huge potential to increase turnover’. The shop is described as being ‘well-established with an excellent reputation’. “The business has the potential to improve turnover with an ambitious and energetic new owner,” reads the sales blurb. “The regeneration of the area that is taking place at the moment, will do wonders for the store long term.”

According to the listing on Rightmove, the store operates with four full-time staff and six part-time workers, and its opening hours are 8am-5pm Monday to Friday, and 8am-3pm on Saturdays, with the shop closing on Sundays. The listing on Rightmove states: “The store would benefit with the introduction of a coffee machine, ATM and offers for university students. Leaflet drops with promotions would also benefit the store.”

It continues: “One of the key opportunities is to introduce extra services. Extending closing times, opening on a Sunday, and installing slush machines and extra food to go, are other factors that would increase trade. This is a fantastic opportunity for a family, first time buyer or a current operator to acquire a fantastic business in an area booming with new developments and other complimentary businesses.”