Would you start a bikers cafe?

bluechair84

foxc_uk wrote:

bluechair84
Musing over a mojito or 3 with a friend the other night we came up with a cafe (wifi, cakes, sandwiches etc) with a snowboard and bike shop out back, with potential for organising trips out etc and coaching in triathlons and potentially other stuff.

This is exactly what I'm thinking about. Though it's been put on hold for a few weeks as I know someone who works at a bike manufacturer who might have my dream job up his sleeve. I'm going to be pestering him over the coming months to see if we could make it hapen

fungus_the_muffin_man

As a few others have said it's all about location, location, location,

I used to be a chef in a really nice restaurant, in the middle of farm land situated within the west pennine moors. It was a 15th century pub, beautiful surroundings and was only busy friday , saturday and sunday. Despite it's beautiful location the only passing trade were from a few walkers at weekend having a pub lunch and the local hunt community using it as a base twice a year. Midweek would be slow with maybe the odd birthday party to swell the covers over 20 people

All the chefs worked long hard hours with only 1 day off a week if we were lucky. The owner was he biggest stress head I've ever worked under. Constantly trying to make ends meet, get food at cheaper prices but maintain high standards. He died of a stress induced heart attack before his 50th birthday.

Everyone used to ask me why don't I open my own restaurant? The answer was quite simple the amount of time and hard work needed to make it even the smallest of profit earners made it a non starter. I enjoy my life to much to have to sell my soul just to make a few extra bucks at the expense of happiness.

bluechair84

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

As a few others have said it's all about location, location, location,

I used to be a chef in a really nice restaurant, in the middle of farm land situated within the west pennine moors. It was a 15th century pub, beautiful surroundings and was only busy friday , saturday and sunday. Despite it's beautiful location the only passing trade were from a few walkers at weekend having a pub lunch and the local hunt community using it as a base twice a year. Midweek would be slow with maybe the odd birthday party to swell the covers over 20 people

All the chefs worked long hard hours with only 1 day off a week if we were lucky. The owner was he biggest stress head I've ever worked under. Constantly trying to make ends meet, get food at cheaper prices but maintain high standards. He died of a stress induced heart attack before his 50th birthday.

Everyone used to ask me why don't I open my own restaurant? The answer was quite simple the amount of time and hard work needed to make it even the smallest of profit earners made it a non starter. I enjoy my life to much to have to sell my soul just to make a few extra bucks at the expense of happiness.

Hmm, interesting story. It's certainly a competitive business to enter into. Not sure if I could make it given those circumstances but the dream is probably the same.

Gazlar

I think the thing with location is a tricky situation. Although I'm a train driver now, my real qualifications are as a chef and also catering and hospitality management.

Cafes are, in most senses a fairly unoriginal idea, and cateriong businesses are a high risk of folding in the first year. As fungus said, its a tough career path and not the most profitable at the start.

If you are thinking of somewhere such as a trail centre then my suggestion would be look into the tendering process at somewhere such as the new place opening at Blaenau Festiniog, I don't know if thats been dealt with or what but anywhere else you are a) not going to get prime location as you are pushed into operating away from the actual site and b) you will have a better placed and established competitor. If you have got a captive audience, don't think too fancy with menu's think value and what is it that people want to eat, not what do they want to try, because invarioably, bikers want a bacon butty and a big eff off burger or similar at the end

If you are looking at just a good location, then you need to weigh up the costs, the footfall and the competition.

It can be done, I have a business idea I'm formulating, mainly for Mrs G to follow as a plan b to teaching, I dont want to discuss it too much because I'm selfish, but good luck