G-STAR

Stemming from the business related thread, I'm wondering if we have any bar/club owners on the board.

As I said, it's my lifelong ambition to own one and, while I'm only 20 and still in university, I'd be interested in finding out a few things, for future reference.

Chip

Bad choice. Loads of hassle, late nights. fights etc and above all ****e money.

Chip

Stiff

Money can be good (if it's your own pub and have regular custom) but like Chip says, late nights as well as early mornings for the dreymen (sp?), fights (inevatable at some time), removing drunks etc when your tired and ready for bed but still have an another hour to collect the glasses, tidy up, sort tills etc, etc. Plus side...... You have lots of friends and access to alcohol 24/7

G-STAR

I can live with the late nights, and the hassle (to a certain degree, obviously), besides, there aren't too many hassle free jobs out there.

At the moment, I can only see myself being happy in marketing/advertising (music related, if possible), or owning my own bar or club. If the bar/club idea isn't viable, I'll have to focus on the first.

Stiff

I'm pretty sure *Jamie*'s brother owns/runs a nightclub in Whitby. He might be able to give you a few pointers?

G-STAR

Thanks, Stiff. I'll drop him a PM.

davegtt

Brother/Sister In Law ran a pub in the country, they didnt own it but they were paid directly to manage it, they lived in the flat above for free but the pay reflected that IIRC, wasnt brilliant, very late nights, after cleaning the kitchen and the bar often 1am night every night only to be up again at 8am. If they wanted any extra staff to help them out it came out of the budget thats given to them monthly from the owner. They also took a percentage on the takings, something like 5% on booze and 20% on food.

The Rani

My ex's mum and her bloke ran a bar at a golf club. They never got to bed before 3 in the morning and were always up at 8. Did everything themselves including the food - couldn't afford any help on the money they were getting ..... Working in some pubs is like being slave labour, too.

2000TLondon

My parents owned a hotel when I was born. They had it for quite a while and it was a fair sized place in Bristol. They did well, and being the owners, not everything made it into the till. My Dad had lots of nice flash cars, but it was all very Fawlty Towers and I know they don't regret selling it. On call constantly.

I'd love to own a flash bar or club. My brother is in the business now. But I think it's better as a dream than as a reality.

Best way to find out is to start working behind the bar, I guess, part-time, and try and get into management first. Or watch Carlito's Way!!!

Dracoro

Have you worked in a pub/club? Get some bar work, see what goes on behind the scenes. If you like it then maybe become a manager (someone else's pub if it goes **** up ) and if you still like it then go for buying a place.

Unless it's a nice country pub, it's long hours, lots of hassle sorting out supplies that never arrive or are wrong, hassle in the bar, hardly any free time to yourself, sorting out unreliable staff.

I don't want to kill off your dream, but if you're intending to make it reality then you need to check out what it's all about before jumping in (which you seem to be doing )

Ray_li

Everybody in their 20's dreams of owning a club

Account deleted by request

For a town centre pub or club if you can't take between 15 - 20k a week then forget it. To actually make good money this is what you will need to turn over, and it is dam hard to do that.

I know of medium size pubs taking 10k a week that still are not making a significant profit.

In a pub you have to do food to make any good money, it is nearly impossible to take 12/3k + a week on just alcohol.

For a club you obviously charge people to get in, without this it would be even more impossible to make money even with extortionate drink prices.

HTH's

chop