Tagon for sale

A POPULAR Shetland country shop has been put up for sale after its owners reluctantly decided to move back to England for family reasons.

Scott and Phoebe Preston hit the headlines in March 2012 when they slashed their petrol and diesel prices to UK mainland levels for a day, shortly after taking over Tagon Stores, in the village of Voe.

Three years later they said they felt “sad and gutted” to leave behind a thriving business that was named one of last year’s Top 100 convenience stores in the UK.

Scott Preston said: “We are moving to be closer to family on both sides. We are sad that we will be leaving, but we are also conscious that this will not be happening overnight.

“We want Tagon Stores to remain a community resource – it is very important that the local shop stays the local shop.

“Tagon Stores is in a great position, it is doing a roaring trade, and all 13 staff are staying on.”

Preston added that it would remain business as usual until somebody keen to take over the business came forward.

The asking price for the shop, whose annual turnover is three quarters of a million pounds, is £130,000.

Advertised on the www.daltonsbusiness.com website, Tagon Stores is described as a “crucial supply for many of the local people and uses over 60 suppliers to ensure a wide selection of groceries, alcohol, household & stationery products and much more.

“As many of the shops on the island the premises also sells petrol and diesel but is not under contract and has the option to buy from either supplier on the islands. The fuel turnover is approximately £200,000 per annum.”

Preston said: “Selling it was a really hard decision. Everything that we are doing now is geared towards keeping the shop in the community and staff in their jobs.”