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Possible move to Spain
Myself & wife are considering moving to Spain in 2020 to, hopefully, run a small bar. I know everything with Brexit means that plans can't be made until we know what the fall out from that is, but I am hopeful that it will still allow people like us to come over and work there.
I have friends who lives in Yunquera and we recently visited them and had a chat about the idea. We had looked at various estate agents (?) that specialise in bars with leases as well as freehold options. We're leaning more to the leasehold, however, my friend suggested that there may be several bars that are no longer functioning were owners may be happy to let you rent them. There was one in the village he lived in that fitted that option, but Yunquera was just a shade to quiet for us and already seemed to have several bars. We were thinking somewhere closer to the sea, a small village not a major tourist resort and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on any such bars i.e. ones in such villages/surrounding of the likes of Benalmadena, Mijas, Estepona, Velez-Malaga or the likes? We don't want to be in the middle of Benidorm or Torremolinos or similar as we don't want that sort of bar. We're thinking small bar with outside space, sell craft beers & gin (as well as stock the staples such as Cruzcampo). I know this may bring a flurry of replies both positive or negative but I welcome all forms of information (as long as it's not insulting) as it will help our decision making on the idea. For background info, we're aged circa 50 (one under, one slightly over), we currently run a business but not a bar. The wife has had several years working bars in the UK before she went into corporate world so she has basic knowledge. We aren't fluent in Spanish but this will be addressed with night classes as well as going over to test ourselves. We intend to raise a pot of money by selling our current business and will rent our house in the UK to provide us with income to rent a small apartment or similar near to any bar. Look forward to any replies whether they be info on bars available or areas to look at/avoid, people to contact, things we should look to do/have etc.... |
Re: Possible move to Spain
Originally Posted by TheBevs
(Post 12605364)
Myself & wife are considering moving to Spain in 2020 to, hopefully, run a small bar. I know everything with Brexit means that plans can't be made until we know what the fall out from that is, but I am hopeful that it will still allow people like us to come over and work there.
I have friends who lives in Yunquera and we recently visited them and had a chat about the idea. We had looked at various estate agents (?) that specialise in bars with leases as well as freehold options. We're leaning more to the leasehold, however, my friend suggested that there may be several bars that are no longer functioning were owners may be happy to let you rent them. There was one in the village he lived in that fitted that option, but Yunquera was just a shade to quiet for us and already seemed to have several bars. We were thinking somewhere closer to the sea, a small village not a major tourist resort and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on any such bars i.e. ones in such villages/surrounding of the likes of Benalmadena, Mijas, Estepona, Velez-Malaga or the likes? We don't want to be in the middle of Benidorm or Torremolinos or similar as we don't want that sort of bar. We're thinking small bar with outside space, sell craft beers & gin (as well as stock the staples such as Cruzcampo). I know this may bring a flurry of replies both positive or negative but I welcome all forms of information (as long as it's not insulting) as it will help our decision making on the idea. For background info, we're aged circa 50 (one under, one slightly over), we currently run a business but not a bar. The wife has had several years working bars in the UK before she went into corporate world so she has basic knowledge. We aren't fluent in Spanish but this will be addressed with night classes as well as going over to test ourselves. We intend to raise a pot of money by selling our current business and will rent our house in the UK to provide us with income to rent a small apartment or similar near to any bar. Look forward to any replies whether they be info on bars available or areas to look at/avoid, people to contact, things we should look to do/have etc.... |
Re: Possible move to Spain
For a hobby/something to do great idea. To make a decent living vs hassle/time/risk etc forget it.
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Re: Possible move to Spain
The Bar! It should be a tv series. You will get lots of advice about it. Most will suggest no due to the fact that everyone knows someone who has tried and failed. Having said that some manage so it can't always end in disaster. First I would say if you don't speak Spanish ( and you won't be good enough after classes for a year) you are at a disadvantage. Most successful bars have one partner who has Spanish. Secondly decide how much you can afford to lose. Then , if you can accept the worst , go for it. Oh Yes and be prepared to work everyday of the summer from morning to night. Good luck
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Re: Possible move to Spain
Moses, thanks for your comments. Yes, if a bar is empty it could well be that it wasn't successful but there may be reasons it wasn't successful; poor selection of beers, not a nice bar to drink in, not anything else offered i.e. footy, quiz, food etc. Also, not everyone will have funds to set up a bar. You mention unemployed Spanish. How many unemployed people will have the necessary funds to take on a bar with all the basic financial commitments. If a bar was successful then it probably won't be available unless the owners decided they wanted to cash in on their success, but even then it's more likely to be someone with financial backing that would buy it not an unemployed person.
Our reasons for considering this move are that the wife was very successful in running bars in her early life and is looking to change her involvement in corporate world to a job she enjoys which, for her, would be less stressful. We currently run a wedding styling business (alongside her PT corporate job) so our skill sets are suited to running a bar (customer interaction, service standards, ideas, bringing things to fruition etc.) and we did consider a pub in the UK but we have both always harboured hopes of living abroad for the same reasons many of the expats are there now; better way of life, sunshine, less stress, sunshine, open air living, sunshine..... We aren't looking to wander out there and just wing it, we do have plans, and as I said, financially we hope that the sale of our current business will give us the necessary cash to be able to fund the initial leg up i.e. rent, decorate and set up a bar and allow us to survive if you will, without too many money worries. As I said, all comments welcome (except insulting ones) and I appreciate your input. Yes, we do understand there is a risk we could invest a lot of money and have nothing after 12 months, but nothing ventured nothing gained. I don't have a fairy godmother saying there's a small bar outside Estepona that's done really well over the last 2 years and now needs 2 new people to run it, are you up for it, so I have to look to do it myself!.... |
Re: Possible move to Spain
Originally Posted by 1sexsmith
(Post 12605434)
The Bar! It should be a tv series. You will get lots of advice about it. Most will suggest no due to the fact that everyone knows someone who has tried and failed. Having said that some manage so it can't always end in disaster. First I would say if you don't speak Spanish ( and you won't be good enough after classes for a year) you are at a disadvantage. Most successful bars have one partner who has Spanish. Secondly decide how much you can afford to lose. Then , if you can accept the worst , go for it. Oh Yes and be prepared to work everyday of the summer from morning to night. Good luck
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Re: Possible move to Spain
Originally Posted by TheBevs
(Post 12605439)
Moses, thanks for your comments. Yes, if a bar is empty it could well be that it wasn't successful but there may be reasons it wasn't successful; poor selection of beers, not a nice bar to drink in, not anything else offered i.e. footy, quiz, food etc. Also, not everyone will have funds to set up a bar. You mention unemployed Spanish. How many unemployed people will have the necessary funds to take on a bar with all the basic financial commitments. If a bar was successful then it probably won't be available unless the owners decided they wanted to cash in on their success, but even then it's more likely to be someone with financial backing that would buy it not an unemployed person.
Our reasons for considering this move are that the wife was very successful in running bars in her early life and is looking to change her involvement in corporate world to a job she enjoys which, for her, would be less stressful. We currently run a wedding styling business (alongside her PT corporate job) so our skill sets are suited to running a bar (customer interaction, service standards, ideas, bringing things to fruition etc.) and we did consider a pub in the UK but we have both always harboured hopes of living abroad for the same reasons many of the expats are there now; better way of life, sunshine, less stress, sunshine, open air living, sunshine..... We aren't looking to wander out there and just wing it, we do have plans, and as I said, financially we hope that the sale of our current business will give us the necessary cash to be able to fund the initial leg up i.e. rent, decorate and set up a bar and allow us to survive if you will, without too many money worries. As I said, all comments welcome (except insulting ones) and I appreciate your input. Yes, we do understand there is a risk we could invest a lot of money and have nothing after 12 months, but nothing ventured nothing gained. I don't have a fairy godmother saying there's a small bar outside Estepona that's done really well over the last 2 years and now needs 2 new people to run it, are you up for it, so I have to look to do it myself!.... |
Re: Possible move to Spain
Originally Posted by 1sexsmith
(Post 12605434)
The Bar! It should be a tv series. You will get lots of advice about it. Most will suggest no due to the fact that everyone knows someone who has tried and failed. Having said that some manage so it can't always end in disaster. First I would say if you don't speak Spanish ( and you won't be good enough after classes for a year) you are at a disadvantage. Most successful bars have one partner who has Spanish. Secondly decide how much you can afford to lose. Then , if you can accept the worst , go for it. Oh Yes and be prepared to work everyday of the summer from morning to night. Good luck
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Re: Possible move to Spain
Originally Posted by Moses2013
(Post 12605450)
I get your points, but don't forget that Spain is a complete different market. I live in Ireland and even here were the pubs and bars are still full, many are struggling. If you are in a great location and offer excellent food, of course it can work and you can make plenty of cash. People in Britain and Ireland spend a lot more, drink a lot more:-) but Spain is different. Even in Benalmadena, Mijas, Estepona you have all inclusive hotels, so what makes your bar different that people want to go there? Will the locals go to you bar etc.? Then you have the language barrier and other things. Just saying that you can quickly fall and suddenly realise you lost a load of cash. Wouldn't it be easier to save more money, buy a little place outright without the need to work long hours just to survive?
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Re: Possible move to Spain
Originally Posted by spainrico
(Post 12605433)
For a hobby/something to do great idea. To make a decent living vs hassle/time/risk etc forget it.
We all search for something in life. My search brought me to Spain. I was looking for a different lifestyle away from cold gloomy UK and my corporate life. I was happy to trade down. Relax, live in the sun and see what happened. |
Re: Possible move to Spain
Hi 7 years ago we sold up and bought a pub in a remote part of Scotland. We didnt want a pub in a city it was is a semi retirement thing. We now work harder than ever before. for a lot less money. We (wife and me) had never worked in a bar before. But we wanted to get out the city so we did. Running a small bar in the UK is hard its not all standing there pulling pints and chatting. Its all the other stuff be it paper work lucky for us thats in English but all the stuff you dont think of. When you close and all you customers go home happy it time for you to clean and get ready for the next day there may be a bit of DIY todo as you will want to save money and not pay some one. Then in the morning you can get up nice and early and go out to restock. we serve breakfasts so we are lucky and need to be in kitchen by 07.00 serve them then go and restock. But any way open at 15.00 and work till last people go. We drop hint round 22.30. Do the Jobs I have mentioned then have supper then bed.
But to do this then do all the paperwork in a Spanish as well as deal with reps or local council people all in Spanish hats off to you. Would we do it again in the UK sorry but no. may be a cafe or tea room but not a pub Would we do it in Spain not speaking the lingo NO. cant put my finger on it it a little bit of everything Sorting license, Tax's hygiene certificates. Cant really help with the Spanish. But the pub side ive got the tee shirt. As I also said we are in a remote area so it would be totally different in a town or city, |
Re: Possible move to Spain
Originally Posted by earlyoap
(Post 12605500)
Hi 7 years ago we sold up and bought a pub in a remote part of Scotland. We didnt want a pub in a city it was is a semi retirement thing. We now work harder than ever before. for a lot less money. We (wife and me) had never worked in a bar before. But we wanted to get out the city so we did. Running a small bar in the UK is hard its not all standing there pulling pints and chatting. Its all the other stuff be it paper work lucky for us thats in English but all the stuff you dont think of. When you close and all you customers go home happy it time for you to clean and get ready for the next day there may be a bit of DIY todo as you will want to save money and not pay some one. Then in the morning you can get up nice and early and go out to restock. we serve breakfasts so we are lucky and need to be in kitchen by 07.00 serve them then go and restock. But any way open at 15.00 and work till last people go. We drop hint round 22.30. Do the Jobs I have mentioned then have supper then bed.
But to do this then do all the paperwork in a Spanish as well as deal with reps or local council people all in Spanish hats off to you. Would we do it again in the UK sorry but no. may be a cafe or tea room but not a pub Would we do it in Spain not speaking the lingo NO. cant put my finger on it it a little bit of everything Sorting license, Tax's hygiene certificates. Cant really help with the Spanish. But the pub side ive got the tee shirt. As I also said we are in a remote area so it would be totally different in a town or city, |
Re: Possible move to Spain
Yes I fear you will probably get more people warning against this than encouraging it but doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. I think you should always start with a clear understanding of what you might stand to lose and weigh that up. Some people enjoy risks others don't. Successful people will on the whole risk takers. If you such a person then you will have a much better chance at success and will no doubt thrive under the challenge. If however it is about getting away from a particular lifestyle that motivates then this type of venture should probably be avoided. You are too old to be trying to change things so drastically. If you want a less stressful lifestyle and some sun and you have some money already just go and work in a bar. It's easy. You will be a lot happier unless , as I said, you are the type of person who requires the thrill of a challenge ( in which case you would probably not mind stress in the first place).
One thing though. As you don't speak Spanish ( and I m afraid won't for a good few years) make sure your bar is smack bang in the middle of a popular zone for foreigners. Spanish won't go into English speaking places enough for you to rely on their patronage |
Re: Possible move to Spain
Originally Posted by TheBevs
(Post 12605364)
We were thinking somewhere closer to the sea, a small village not a major tourist resort and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on any such bars i.e. ones in such villages/surrounding of the likes of Benalmadena, Mijas, Estepona, Velez-Malaga or the likes? We don't want to be in the middle of Benidorm or Torremolinos or similar as we don't want that sort of bar. We're thinking small bar with outside space, sell craft beers & gin (as well as stock the staples such as Cruzcampo). . |
Re: Possible move to Spain
It is certainly possible to turn a poorly managed loss making unpopular bar into a money maker, I know one where new landlord has done exactly that. However to set up to manage a bar with little management experience is brave. Good luck.
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