FortyFive Vinyl Café, York, for sale - Bill Nighy is a fan

FortyFive Vinyl Cafe was opened by Dom White and Dan Kentley in Micklegate six years ago and has grown from a café selling records and trademark grilled cheese sandwiches into a bustling social hub and music venue.

Among its many happy customers over the years has been award-winning actor Bill Nighy - star of Love Actually - who came to the cafe everyday while making the movie Sometimes Always Never.

Dom recalls: "For five weeks in 2018, Hollywood star Bill Nighy spent his days off in our cafe.

"He was filming Sometimes Always Never. He would spend a few hours hanging out and chatting to fans. We suddenly got very busy once word got out he was becoming a regular! Turns out he's a Marmite fan!"

Bill Nighy was a regular at the FortyFive Vinyl Cafe

Since opening, FortyFive has expanded its trading and retail activities which now embrace regular gigs, theme nights (including the popular music ‘bingo’) and private hire events, alongside their coffee, grilled cheese, craft beer and cocktail menus.

Now, Dom and Dan have decided to hang up their headphones and put FortyFive Vinyl Café on the market with Barry Crux because they want to spend more time with their young families.

Popular grilled cheese at the cafe

The duo say they want to pass the reigns on to the next music hungry, café loving entrepreneur to take over their established business.

Dom said: “We are by no means closing our doors and will remain open as usual, including all planned gigs and events, but as our families grow our responsibilities change, we feel our time at FortyFive should come to an end to make way for someone else’s adventure.

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"We have so much love for our fantastic staff and our brilliant customers who have made FortyFive what it is. Whether you see us as a café, a record store, a music venue or a bar, we have made invaluable friends and relationships with customers and businesses alike and we are so grateful to have experienced the wonderful independent business network in York, but it’s time for us to step away and pass FortyFive Vinyl Café on to the next aspiring business owner.”

Flashback to 2017 when Dom and Dan opened the cafe

Dom said the business had become an important part of the "scene" in York and had a great following for music and coffee lovers alike.

He said there was a strong and loyal customer base with significant amounts of repeat business which enabled the cafe to further develop. It also benefited from being on a busy street with heavy footfall and close to many other eating and drinking venues.

Dom said there had been good interest in the opportunity from several different parties since the cafe went on sale.

The agents said: "Forty Five is an excellent opportunity to acquire a very well established business which has made its own unique mark on York but which still has potential to be developed further in several different ways. Being easily managed and compact there is tremendous potential for the discerning buyer to enjoy very good profits."

All information about the sale can be found at barrycrux.co.uk.