A couple are selling a toll bridge that makes £100,000 a year thanks to an ancient Act of Parliament An ancient toll bridge which rakes in £100,000 a year from drivers paying £1-a-time to cross has gone up for […]

An ancient toll bridge which rakes in £100,000 a year from drivers paying £1-a-time to cross has gone up for sale – and could be yours for a cool £795,000.

All profits from the Whitney-on-Wye Bridge – which was built in 1779 – are tax free thanks to an old act of parliament.

Grahame Penny, 56, and Maggie Taylor, 53, are selling up after six years running it as a business.

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It connects Hereford and Hay-on-Wye and is one of only eight privately-owned toll crossings in the UK. With the nearest alternative more than six miles downriver, it is used by residents, commuters and tourists alike.

Comes with a cottage too

But potential buyers will be getting more than just a way over the River Wye for their money. The price includes a two-bedroom cottage and 1.1 acres of land, as well as that ancient tax exemption because the bridge was built with private funds. They can also expect especially busy days during the famous Hay Festival of Literature and Arts.

Ms Taylor said: “It is so busy now. We have developed the business. It needs someone with a bit more energy to now take it forward.”

During their time as owners, the couple say they allowed charities to take it over for a day and collect up to £14,000 at a time in donations.

The One Show, Secret Britain and Tim Wonnacott’s Antiques Roadtrip have all filmed at the site.

Buy it and put up the toll?

Now, ahead of the sale, planning permission has een obtained for an enlargement to the toll house, with the capacity to develop a restaurant, four eco lodges and a new toll house. The business also generates income from camping, fishing and canoe launch use.

But for anyone thinking of buying and then slamming up the price, they should be warned it doesn’t quite work like that. The Department of Transport has to approve any rise in tolls. The last such review was in 2009, when they were increased from 50p.