A gift shop has been sold with planning permission for an extension and two flats.

The Secret Garden in Borough Green High Street had been trading for more than a decade before it closed in March last year.

Listed by estate agent Ibbett Mosely, the site is described as a “great opportunity” with both “short-term returns and longer-term yield”.

It added: “The first floor offers two main rooms with stairs from the ground floor entering from the side into both front and rear rooms.

“These rooms are currently used for storage but offer good light and serviced by a bow window to the front and sash window to the rear.”

The building was previously home to the well-known gift shop, which sold a range of items including greeting cards, helium balloons, watches, jewellery, toys and stationery.

Owned by couple Russell and Annette Yeoell, they first launched the business on February 15, 2011.

The little store managed to survive the Covid pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, however, after 13 years the pair decided to retire.

It shut on March 28 and has been vacant ever since.

A sign in the shop window now says it has been sold. It is not yet known for how much.

On the website listing, the estate agent was asking for offers over £275,000.

News of the purchase sparked discussion online as to what type of business might take over.

Some suggested a wine bar or micropub would be a welcome addition to the village.

One commented: “Barber’s, cafe or estate agent is my guess!”

Another person added: “Another little gift shop would be great, or a book shop. Guess we will just have to wait and see.”

Additional planning permission for the site was approved by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) on February 2.

This includes an extension on the ground floor and to the roof, as well as converting the rooms above into two flats.

They would be individual one-bedroom apartments – the smaller over one floor and a duplex in the upper floor and roof space.

To see more planning applications and other public notices for your area, click here.

The front of the shop and ground floor would remain as they are, with an extension at the back, allowing for better storage or more selling space.