Other

Characterful restaurant with letting rooms on the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen, close to Forres.

Overview

The Old Mill Inn is a charming country inn combining a popular restaurant with well-presented letting rooms in the historic village of Brodie, near Forres in Moray. Its prominent position on the A96 provides excellent exposure to passing trade from tourists and local traffic travelling between Inverness and Aberdeen.

Location

The property lies a short drive from Forres, an established town offering a broad range of amenities, including shops, services, leisure facilities and schooling, making it a convenient and attractive base for guests. The wider area is a renowned visitor destination, with Brodie Castle and its estate, along with the scenic Moray Coast, drawing significant tourist numbers throughout the season.

Property & Accommodation

The Old Mill Inn features the atmospheric Hearth Restaurant, seating around 60 covers, with a central bar, wood-burning stove and traditional features creating a warm, characterful setting. The trading areas are supported by male and female WCs and a large, well-equipped commercial kitchen designed for efficient service.

Guest accommodation is accessed from a lobby linked to the restaurant and via a separate front entrance with reception and an adjacent accessible WC with baby change. On the ground floor there is one en-suite double letting room and a further room offering potential for conversion to an additional letting room. A first floor provides six double en-suite bedrooms, while the top floor and substantial owner’s flat offer further bedroom and bathroom space, currently used as owner/staff accommodation but readily adaptable for extra letting capacity.

Business

The inn trades as a restaurant with rooms, operating Tuesday to Sunday, with lunch and dinner service midweek and all-day dining at weekends. Peak demand is strongly seasonal, with May to October and December delivering high occupancy levels and busy restaurant trade. Summer occupancy typically runs at around 90–100%, with room rates of about £120 per night, while winter occupancy is lower at approximately 10–20%, with rates around £60 per night. The business is run by the owners with the support of three full-time and three part-time staff, offering clear scope for further development by incoming operators.

Externals

A shared driveway from the A96 leads to a large car park, shared with the neighbouring caravan park, providing ample parking for guests and diners. The grounds include a lawned area and beer garden, ideal for outdoor drinking and dining, together with two sheds and a storage container offering valuable ancillary storage space.