harrymonk

Me and the wife are thinking of changing our careers and go into the pub game any ideas?

Jap2Scrap

Not an idea, just a warning..

I knew a couple, really good friends of mine, and managing a pub ruined their relationship. Think of it as being stuck in the house 24 hours a day. You're treading a fine line if you think of it as access to alcohol and a social scene because, as I'm sure you're aware, you can't drink and socialise from 11 til 11 and run a business. Of course there are good times but my friends working day started at 8am with the deliveries and ran until at least 12pm, on a good night. That doesn't leave much time to relax. Not only that but one of you always has to work, unless you really can staff your pub with people you'd trust not to break any licensing laws (even by accident), trust not to nick from the till or tips fund, trust not to serve their mates freebies, trust not to get distracted whilst the less desired element of the clientele takes the **** and trust not to get done over by the criminal element (which always seemed to happen during the quiet periods when the pub was empty or near empty - just the times you think you can afford to nip out for awhile).

Suffice to say, they both got fed up of living in each other's pocket so they started taking it in turns to go out. Then the jealousy started because each seemed to feel stitched up if they were left working alone and imagining the other was up to no good if they'd managed to escape for the evening. They seperated and eventually the landlord went on to manage another pub with my ex-girlfriend (who was working for them at the time).

Now obviously not everyone is going to find things the same as that, and staying in 24/7 with each other will suit some, I'm just offering a view that you might not have thought of previously.

HTH

chris's scooby

Yes. Don't do it!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Yes, don't do it!

I know two couples who lost everything due to going into that game, the brewery just walk away leaving YOU with the debts

Alcazar

paulwrxboro

yes its hard work and 365 days a year.
have you thought about a hotel or b&b with a bar ?
my bro has one in blackpool sleeps 60 @ £25 per head min of two nights
if you want just work weekends you will clear 1k a week

harrymonk

Thanx everyone for the comments, we were thinking of freehold, and did also think of a b an b but its all down to prices ?

Gordo

Another doomsayer here, I'm afraid.

The pub game is bloody hard work, 7x24, and extremely tying and unsociable. Lots of people think they can run a pub and most fail or make sod all money out of it (often coming out with drink problems as a result).

Good pub freeholds are not available as a general rule - the breweries/ large pub groups pick up the good ones (they often track and target attractive ones to refresh their portfolios - the ones advertised to the public are generally their underperformers).

The biggest issue with running an independent pub is the price of beer/drinks. The large pub chains have incredible volume buying discounts (typically ~£80 per barrel last time I looked about 2 years ago) as they offer pretty guaranteed volume sales across their estate and a steady and often urban delivery route.

Independents struggle to compete and certainly struggle to make money - £120 a barrel was typical 2 years ago.

The number of pubs in the UK is declining (3-4% per annum from memory) due to a shift in drinking habits (more binge drinking in city centre 'chav pub' outlets, less drinking in normal pubs as people become more health conscious), availability of cheap drink from supermarkets (drink at home) and increasing social conscience around drink driving.

A ban on smoking has had a marked effect on pub sales in Ireland (15% drop I think) - the industry is bracing itself on the mainland for similar, with more pub closures to come.

Be very wary!!!

Gordo

OllyK

Long hours and a lot of hard work. Are you planning to sell food as well. Talking to the landlords of our local pubs (who now ALL do food) that's the only way they make any money, the beer just about breaks even.

Graz

My pub owning Uncle came very close to bankruptcy, possibly due to biting of a bit more than he could chew, also started a family fued as he had employed his brother to run one of his pubs and that didn't really work out too well. As mentioned it's very hard work if you want to be successful, long hours, 7 days a week.

Having said that at one time it was rumoured that the fruit machines in his club were paying his mortgage.

Brendan Hughes

Don't do it anywhere near the SE of England. They're closing left right and centre due to cheap continental booze.

Leslie

Its an unbelievably hard life and also pretty bad for your health.

Further fields are not so green in this case believe me. Think of the word "millstone".

Les

harrymonk

What about a b and b down somerset/dorset way ?
Paul

Mark Miwurdz

Definitely the way to go but the right place is going to come at a price. I'd try dipping a toe first and see how you get on.

Cheers
Kav

BlkKnight

Why don't you go to one of the brewery's and apply for a managerial post as a couple?

They'll give you the training etc & if it doesn't work out you can walk away & go back to your day job.

If you play your cards right, you could rent out your existing house - so you have something to fall back on.

harrymonk

Nice thought, will have a chat with the wife later.
Paul