vallumlj

Me and friend are thinking about opening up a bar in are local town. The only problem is we havent really got a clue where to start. Does any one on here own a bar or no somebody that does.

We no its all about the right location and we have a few places in mind

We are also thinking about a bar to hold approx 300-400 people.

We dont have any capital to start it off with so we would need a business loan. How hard are these to get if we have a good business plan is there any grants we could get.

How much money do u think we would need we have seen a few places for around the 100k mark. How much would we need to spend to kit it out with everything we need.


Thanks a lot any help would be good

Chip

You'd be better offtalking to your bank manager than a few ppl you dont know on a car forum.

Chip

vallumlj

i am going to do this aswell just wanted a few ideas

vallumlj

you lot normally no everything else

David Lock

Where to start is to get a job as a barman in a pub for 6 months and learn what it's all about. dl

Tam the bam

Not at all, we are just good bulsh!tters

dpb

Tasty bar staff - there you go , you knew that already

Freelance Badger

My mates longtime ambition was to own a pub. He and wife bought one (running pubs runs in his family) Only had it about a year before he got rid of it - barely broke even with the money & working 24/7 & never allowed out on a Sat night with the boys etc..

DCI Gene Hunt

Never a truer word said!

I would suggest you both get part time bar jobs and experience it first hand, not as straight forward as you think.............

And topless female staff is always a plus

David Lock

Now why didn't I think of that.............

SlimJ_2005

Is it the right time to think about owning a bar? when this no smoking thing kicks in, bars maybe quite dead for a while... as a non smoker myself, I'll be more happy to go in them than before.

Most people I know are quite happy to stay in now, or go to friends and drink... something to do with so many underage kids with attitudes being in the bars.

AJF

iTrader: (1)

what area in the country are you looking at opening up


Adrian

Seamaster

are you off your head? Yopu might as well burn the money. Please dont think I dont know... I had 2 x restaurants and thank God sold them ages ago. I have a mate who works for one of the largest pub groups in Uk. Right now he is driving around Uk trying to get rid of most. Its rare a bar will make money. so many factors and new laws making it harder each year.


Pl;ease dont do it.

Seamaster

have you never even worked in a bar?

This ship has sunkl before it left the docks ! Do you have any connections in the business that WILL TELL YOU THE TRUTH??

And for god sake dont get suckered in by any companies asking if you want to rent a city bar et cfor 5 years . They promise the world and you will just be covering their loses until they can get planning permission so they can sell it on.

COLZO

I`ve worked in this type of industry for over 17 years. Don`t kid yourself that owning a pub is easy. If you have little or no experience of this kind of work it will make it 100 times more difficult. Are you planning to sell food? Would it have a beer garden (handy for the smoking ban)? What group of people (age) will you be aiming at? Plus new laws every other week, staff problems etc. should make you think long and hard about this.

COLZO

You have a point there mate. Mmmm got me thinking!

Scooby Snacks 23

I grew up in a pub (Freehouse) and when my dad died, my stepmother asked if I wanted to take it on. I had the know-how and lots of experience but there was no way I was going to work 80+ hrs a week for the sort of money my dad was making!!

Seamaster

thats it! I can tell you abouit many many small businesses that offer the best coffee, food etc. the locals love the places and they are all the "Coolest " places to eat etc. The owners can not even afford to pay themselves . There is only enough to pay the staff wages and the suppliers. these people are doing 70 + hours a week and fighting off the banks etc. Shame, but many dont have aclue with regards to the Catering /bar industry.

Its suicide for you.

davyboy

Open a smoking only pub on July 1st.

Luan Pra bang

Your chances appear to be slim or none. What do you have to secure the loan with and what exactly do you think you can get for 300k ? You can't get a freehold for that and no bank will lend you that much for a lease especially for two people who have no clue what they are doing. If I was to lease a bar or restauront to someone I need to know first where the money is coming from. ie I have a business that despite me working 80-90 hours a week makes less than 1k profit per week if I lease that to two muppets who go bankrupt I loose twice. They can't pay the rent and now my business is ruined. Thats why to people who don't know what they are doing initial premiums will be massive as its to big a risk all round. If you came to me and said I want to lease a bar but I have no experience and no real cash I would not even waste my time to discuss it.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

No clue means no chance of success. Sorry to be blunt but you will be another statistic of a failed business.

thats a big bar, lots of staff needed, lots of stock needed.

You wouldnt get one from a high street lender. Loans for bars are considered high risk anyway, couple the fact that you havent a clue what your doing, whats involved etc they will probably laugh at you.


building of the size you are thinking off good few hundred k at least

good luck!

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

So Vallumlj, are you going to give it a go?

DCI Gene Hunt

Dooh!

Why didn't I think of that as well............

weslad

i know of a few people who opened bars 7-8 years ago just as the local town was getting money thrown at it , i recon they must be nearly millionaires now , but they already owned the shops that have been converted , but they had never run a bar/pub before this , guess a bit of luck is involved with any risk , depends on the area , and type of place you are thinking of opening , if the place has other busyish bar / pubs ect then i may be a winner ! .......research is the key !

Suuba

Spot on, btw dont get into the pub trade it aint worth the hassle..

Dont lease buy freehold as he bank will be more wiling to write a nice fat cheque as theres security.

The Snug Rhino

no idea how what you're doing, no capital...good luck with a business loan unless its from a bloke called Big Dave who's office is in the corner of a pub

fitzscoob

Got Big Dave's address?