Trentham Estate tourist attraction going up for sale

Owners St Modwen, the Longbridge-based developers and regeneration specialists, have instructed specialist leisure and retail property adviser Christie & Co to find a buyer.

St Modwen has owned the estate - which attracts 3.25 million visitors annually - for more than 25 years and the sale follows a strategic review of its core business.

The estate includes the Italianate gardens, a 65-acre lake, shopping village, the Monkey Forest and Treetop Adventure high ropes attractions. There is also a water sports centre.

The estate stages the Trentham Live events, including a series of summer concerts which this year will include McFly, Steps and Craig David.

Jon Patrick the head of leisure and development at Christie & Co who is overseeing the sale process, said: “Trentham is a unique asset in that it combines a mix of very stable investment income, as well as revenue from the gardens and events, whilst delivering numerous opportunities for further development.

“Having one of the busiest garden centres in the country, a vacancy rate of only two per cent in the outlet shopping village and an easily accessible location with 7.5 million people living within an hours’ drive-time, mark Trentham out as one of the most exciting assignments we’ve worked on in recent years.

“We anticipate that the British public’s increasing interest in all things 'outdoors' as well as investors’ focus on long income opportunities with further potential for development and exposure to operational real estate, will see interest in Trentham coming from a diverse buyer group."

St Modwen's chief executive Sarwjit Sambhi said: “Over recent years, St. Modwen has focused on the core areas of housebuilding and developing logistics property and last year confirmed plans to sell Trentham. We are now targeting an organisation or individual that can continue to invest in the business and act as custodian to support its ongoing success.”