Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
May 12th 2012, 5:27 pm
#76
On the road again.
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: On Top of the World
Posts: 17,507
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
I lived in Los Cris long enough to see hundreds of would-be punters/bar-owners, come with high hopes and leave with their tails between their legs and an empty bank balance.
I also saw a few success stories, one guy in particular,a pal of mine who had run a very successful pub in the UK.
He didn't jump in with both feet but started in a previously failed small back alley place and made a go of it, before moving into a much larger bar in an up and coming area.
In no time at all it was standing room only, packed out every night and very soon he had little to do but supervise and watch the money roll in.
OK lots of research helps, but so does a good head for business, previous pub/bar experience and the know-how to provide the punters with exactly what they want and in doing so creating a superb atmosphere.
There will always be those around with the ability to buck the trends and make a go of it where so many others have failed.
You can look around any of these Brit holiday resorts and see loads of closed and almost deserted bars every night of the week, but you will also always come a cross a small number who have what it takes to pull the punters in almost every single night and are coining it.
I also saw a few success stories, one guy in particular,a pal of mine who had run a very successful pub in the UK.
He didn't jump in with both feet but started in a previously failed small back alley place and made a go of it, before moving into a much larger bar in an up and coming area.
In no time at all it was standing room only, packed out every night and very soon he had little to do but supervise and watch the money roll in.
OK lots of research helps, but so does a good head for business, previous pub/bar experience and the know-how to provide the punters with exactly what they want and in doing so creating a superb atmosphere.
There will always be those around with the ability to buck the trends and make a go of it where so many others have failed.
You can look around any of these Brit holiday resorts and see loads of closed and almost deserted bars every night of the week, but you will also always come a cross a small number who have what it takes to pull the punters in almost every single night and are coining it.
May 12th 2012, 7:37 pm
#77
Im a 77 year old nutcase
Joined: Mar 2011
Location: Playa del ingles...Gran Canaria..
Posts: 4,774
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
Its only a foolish person that would open a Bar now that so many are closing down.. Today in playa del Ingles we had Gay Pride all the money was spent in the Yumbo Gay Centre.. next week it will be empty and Bars will be sold at a loss.. Drinks tonight at 3 euro will be 1 euro next week.... All inclufive has done a lot of harm to the Canary Isles.. But goodluck to you.... let us know in 6 months how you are getting on..
May 12th 2012, 10:23 pm
#78
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
Hi,
Having ran bars and restaurants in the uk for 25 years it still amazes me that people with no experience at all think of opening a bar.Im not talking about working full/part time behind a bar as a student etc..
Ive now retired at 50 after and now lived in Spain full time for 2 years now.Still restaurants and bars closing which I thought were good but still struggled.
People have said that I should go in business here but would not touch anything and I am supposed to know what Im doing!
Good luck and I hope you are successful but you will have to work a whole dam harder than you ever have.Its hard in UK but be warned it is much harder in Spain.
Having ran bars and restaurants in the uk for 25 years it still amazes me that people with no experience at all think of opening a bar.Im not talking about working full/part time behind a bar as a student etc..
Ive now retired at 50 after and now lived in Spain full time for 2 years now.Still restaurants and bars closing which I thought were good but still struggled.
People have said that I should go in business here but would not touch anything and I am supposed to know what Im doing!
Good luck and I hope you are successful but you will have to work a whole dam harder than you ever have.Its hard in UK but be warned it is much harder in Spain.
May 13th 2012, 9:27 am
#79
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Alicante province
Posts: 5,753
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
And still they come . . .
Half the bars are boarded up, the others have owners with sad faces waiting for non-existent customers.
It's the same with houses, all the 'for sale' signs now have 'reduced' written on them.
Rajoy is ready to recue banks, like Bankia, and set up a 'bad' bank for over-valued property which is about to be thrown on to the market (millions of houses).
And a young English couple have just bought a bar and a house, nearby, at silly prices. They don't speak a word of Spanish between them, and worked in IT back home.
One thing though, they look serenely happy, which makes a pleasant change from the multitude of grumpy faces all around.
Half the bars are boarded up, the others have owners with sad faces waiting for non-existent customers.
It's the same with houses, all the 'for sale' signs now have 'reduced' written on them.
Rajoy is ready to recue banks, like Bankia, and set up a 'bad' bank for over-valued property which is about to be thrown on to the market (millions of houses).
And a young English couple have just bought a bar and a house, nearby, at silly prices. They don't speak a word of Spanish between them, and worked in IT back home.
One thing though, they look serenely happy, which makes a pleasant change from the multitude of grumpy faces all around.
May 13th 2012, 10:12 am
#80
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Posts: 12,053
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
And still they come . . .
Half the bars are boarded up, the others have owners with sad faces waiting for non-existent customers.
It's the same with houses, all the 'for sale' signs now have 'reduced' written on them.
Rajoy is ready to recue banks, like Bankia, and set up a 'bad' bank for over-valued property which is about to be thrown on to the market (millions of houses).
And a young English couple have just bought a bar and a house, nearby, at silly prices. They don't speak a word of Spanish between them, and worked in IT back home.
One thing though, they look serenely happy, which makes a pleasant change from the multitude of grumpy faces all around.
Half the bars are boarded up, the others have owners with sad faces waiting for non-existent customers.
It's the same with houses, all the 'for sale' signs now have 'reduced' written on them.
Rajoy is ready to recue banks, like Bankia, and set up a 'bad' bank for over-valued property which is about to be thrown on to the market (millions of houses).
And a young English couple have just bought a bar and a house, nearby, at silly prices. They don't speak a word of Spanish between them, and worked in IT back home.
One thing though, they look serenely happy, which makes a pleasant change from the multitude of grumpy faces all around.
what is it about people from IT that makes them feel so omnipotent in markets they have only had experience in from the customer side of the bar??
many of those who enter the pub trade in the UK are divorcees, looking for a place they can be together, some are successful most are not. All have a very different attitude to life after a year or two as "mine host"
It takes a very unusual person to own/run a bar, even more so one with a restaurant, no matter what country.
local "boutique" hotel shut up shop last year, still on the market, but then in the middle of 10million olives, near the top of a mountain, in a village of narrow streets, no parking nearer than quarter of a mile, I am sure the locals had a wry smile when it was opened couple of year ago. Some of their neighbours didnt even know they were gone.
May 13th 2012, 10:25 am
#81
Not Banned (yet)
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Madrid
Posts: 6,400
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
And still they come . . .
Half the bars are boarded up, the others have owners with sad faces waiting for non-existent customers.
It's the same with houses, all the 'for sale' signs now have 'reduced' written on them.
Rajoy is ready to recue banks, like Bankia, and set up a 'bad' bank for over-valued property which is about to be thrown on to the market (millions of houses).
And a young English couple have just bought a bar and a house, nearby, at silly prices. They don't speak a word of Spanish between them, and worked in IT back home.
One thing though, they look serenely happy, which makes a pleasant change from the multitude of grumpy faces all around.
Half the bars are boarded up, the others have owners with sad faces waiting for non-existent customers.
It's the same with houses, all the 'for sale' signs now have 'reduced' written on them.
Rajoy is ready to recue banks, like Bankia, and set up a 'bad' bank for over-valued property which is about to be thrown on to the market (millions of houses).
And a young English couple have just bought a bar and a house, nearby, at silly prices. They don't speak a word of Spanish between them, and worked in IT back home.
One thing though, they look serenely happy, which makes a pleasant change from the multitude of grumpy faces all around.
May 13th 2012, 10:45 am
#82
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 212
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
It's the same everywhere I go.........FULL bars and cafes. It might be that I don't go near tourist resorts!
In any case bars need to understand the change in trend. these days people drink before going out or take their own alcohol with them. It's even popular amongst the 30 and 40 somethings to do the botellon thing. We do it too!
Article in the newspaper today, states that requests for licences to open up terraces has increased significantly in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is partly thanks to the smoking ban, but if the bars were gong bust they wouldn't be opening terraces a great expense!!
I mostly don't see any of the doom and gloom that most of you talk about.
So if you can target a niche market, go fot it, but it must be a bar that offers more than alcohol.
In any case bars need to understand the change in trend. these days people drink before going out or take their own alcohol with them. It's even popular amongst the 30 and 40 somethings to do the botellon thing. We do it too!
Article in the newspaper today, states that requests for licences to open up terraces has increased significantly in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is partly thanks to the smoking ban, but if the bars were gong bust they wouldn't be opening terraces a great expense!!
I mostly don't see any of the doom and gloom that most of you talk about.
So if you can target a niche market, go fot it, but it must be a bar that offers more than alcohol.
May 13th 2012, 11:04 am
#83
On the road again.
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: On Top of the World
Posts: 17,507
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
Interesting thing for me is that (again, similar to Madrid last November) that out of the bars I saw in Spain a couple of weeks back, none were empty or seemed down at heel. Whether it was a locals bar or a city centre eating spot in Pamplona, a pintxos bar in San Sebastian or a cafe-bar in Bilbao, they all seemed to have a constant influx of customers entering, and indulging in something whether it be a coffee, a wine and/or some pintxos. They weren't exceptions either, as I passed many other places that seemed busy, often spilling out onto the pavement at the weekend (to be fair there may have been a local fiesta taking place that weekend), and they had customers both on a weekday afternoon or a weekend night. You would have thought it would be the other way around - Spanish places empty, and the resort bars full of Brit tourists. Apparently not, so the comment above about the all-inclusive holidays destroying local businesses may be the root cause.
Forty years or so back all incl packages dominated the market.
Since then there's been a steady trend towards self-catering which increased with the coming of internet booking.
Possibly that trend has slowed more recently, but there's still huge numbers of punters making their own arrangements compared to years ago.
No doubt cheap booze is plentiful in the many shops dealing with it, but I doubt if they prefer sitting indoors every night when they could be out on the town.
What has been an increasing trend in recent years is for punters to get a skinful indoors before hitting the town, thereby definitely affecting bar takings.
Another possible factor, though I may be out of touch here, is the much more strict enforcement of bar regulations by the authorities in recent times, making it either very difficult for bars to have live music or possibly any music at all or the right to play Bingo,still a favourite with the women, or any form of gambling at all without special very expensive licences.
No doubt this makes it much more difficult for the smaller bars to attract customers than used to be the case a few years back, though some of the big places can no doubt afford it and still make a killing.
Of course it's a different kettle of fish with small traditional Spanish bars which have changed little, don't bother much with entertainment and continue to run on minimum overheads.
May 13th 2012, 11:07 am
#84
squeaky clean
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Spain 4th feb 08 - October 11, now flits batck and forth from sunny Worthing
Posts: 1,576
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
It's the same everywhere I go.........FULL bars and cafes. It might be that I don't go near tourist resorts!
In any case bars need to understand the change in trend. these days people drink before going out or take their own alcohol with them. It's even popular amongst the 30 and 40 somethings to do the botellon thing. We do it too!
Article in the newspaper today, states that requests for licences to open up terraces has increased significantly in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is partly thanks to the smoking ban, but if the bars were gong bust they wouldn't be opening terraces a great expense!!
I mostly don't see any of the doom and gloom that most of you talk about.
So if you can target a niche market, go fot it, but it must be a bar that offers more than alcohol.
In any case bars need to understand the change in trend. these days people drink before going out or take their own alcohol with them. It's even popular amongst the 30 and 40 somethings to do the botellon thing. We do it too!
Article in the newspaper today, states that requests for licences to open up terraces has increased significantly in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is partly thanks to the smoking ban, but if the bars were gong bust they wouldn't be opening terraces a great expense!!
I mostly don't see any of the doom and gloom that most of you talk about.
So if you can target a niche market, go fot it, but it must be a bar that offers more than alcohol.
the point is that the overheads are so big that to run a financially viable bar, it would need to be full 24/7 with people drinking profitable drinks. I'm not sure but things like beers, coke and coffee make so little that if thats all people do in these full bars then you'll barely make any money after you've paid everything and you'd be run ragged all day every day just to keep afloat. Then you have to save some of that teeny weeny profit to cover the days/seasons when you dont have many people and would be running at a loss. Too much worry for a high risk - especially for those who havent run a bar (in any country) before
Thats the naive view from people who think its easy is, lots of people so lots of profit - no! The overheads, taxes, permissions for terrace seating etc cost money. Then you have the issues of the language etc.....
Jo xxx
May 13th 2012, 11:35 am
#85
Not Banned (yet)
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Madrid
Posts: 6,400
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
It's the same everywhere I go.........FULL bars and cafes. It might be that I don't go near tourist resorts!
In any case bars need to understand the change in trend. these days people drink before going out or take their own alcohol with them. It's even popular amongst the 30 and 40 somethings to do the botellon thing. We do it too!
Article in the newspaper today, states that requests for licences to open up terraces has increased significantly in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is partly thanks to the smoking ban, but if the bars were gong bust they wouldn't be opening terraces a great expense!!
I mostly don't see any of the doom and gloom that most of you talk about.
So if you can target a niche market, go fot it, but it must be a bar that offers more than alcohol.
In any case bars need to understand the change in trend. these days people drink before going out or take their own alcohol with them. It's even popular amongst the 30 and 40 somethings to do the botellon thing. We do it too!
Article in the newspaper today, states that requests for licences to open up terraces has increased significantly in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is partly thanks to the smoking ban, but if the bars were gong bust they wouldn't be opening terraces a great expense!!
I mostly don't see any of the doom and gloom that most of you talk about.
So if you can target a niche market, go fot it, but it must be a bar that offers more than alcohol.
http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/04/02/...67_127667.html
In 2009, City Hall recorded the existence of 1,996 terrazas in the city center, a number which mushroomed to 3,244 the following year. Provisional numbers for 2011 ascend to 4,100. Between 2007 and 2009, Madrid's public coffers were swelled to the tune of 4.7 million euros per year just by the increase in applications for licenses. In 2010 the rise was 21 percent, representing 5.6 million euros. The estimated income from this sort of license in 2011 is more than six million, following an annual increase in applications of 7.4 percent.
May 13th 2012, 11:36 am
#86
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
the point is that the overheads are so big that to run a financially viable bar, it would need to be full 24/7 with people drinking profitable drinks. I'm not sure but things like beers, coke and coffee make so little that if thats all people do in these full bars then you'll barely make any money after you've paid everything and you'd be run ragged all day every day just to keep afloat. Then you have to save some of that teeny weeny profit to cover the days/seasons when you dont have many people and would be running at a loss. Too much worry for a high risk - especially for those who havent run a bar (in any country) before
Thats the naive view from people who think its easy is, lots of people so lots of profit - no! The overheads, taxes, permissions for terrace seating etc cost money. Then you have the issues of the language etc.....
Jo xxx
Thats the naive view from people who think its easy is, lots of people so lots of profit - no! The overheads, taxes, permissions for terrace seating etc cost money. Then you have the issues of the language etc.....
Jo xxx
Most of these bars show no outward signs of a drop in takings, because they are still pretty full but a lot of customers seem to be downsizing with their drinks, from coffee and brandy to "coffee with gotas", and are making each drink last longer.
Same faces, same regular customers, but just curtailing their spending a little, and a little bit of "belt tightening" each day by a lot of customers amounts to a big drop in profits at the end of the month.
Of course to the untrained eye, it is business as usual.
May 13th 2012, 12:01 pm
#87
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Alicante province
Posts: 5,753
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
We've had an upsurge in visitors this year, people who would usually stay in hotels, but now stay with us because it's cheaper. Last week they were from Surrey, this week they're from Essex, and both have cut their spending from previous years.
The local bars are suffering, and so am I. I'm cooking the Sunday dinner, again, and I'm totally pissed off with it. I'm typing as fast as I can, because while they are splashing around in the swimming pool, I'm in the hot kitchen.
The local bars are suffering, and so am I. I'm cooking the Sunday dinner, again, and I'm totally pissed off with it. I'm typing as fast as I can, because while they are splashing around in the swimming pool, I'm in the hot kitchen.
May 13th 2012, 12:08 pm
#88
squeaky clean
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Spain 4th feb 08 - October 11, now flits batck and forth from sunny Worthing
Posts: 1,576
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
We've had an upsurge in visitors this year, people who would usually stay in hotels, but now stay with us because it's cheaper. Last week they were from Surrey, this week they're from Essex, and both have cut their spending from previous years.
The local bars are suffering, and so am I. I'm cooking the Sunday dinner, again, and I'm totally pissed off with it. I'm typing as fast as I can, because while they are splashing around in the swimming pool, I'm in the hot kitchen.
The local bars are suffering, and so am I. I'm cooking the Sunday dinner, again, and I'm totally pissed off with it. I'm typing as fast as I can, because while they are splashing around in the swimming pool, I'm in the hot kitchen.
Jo xxx
May 13th 2012, 12:28 pm
#89
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
This article states the same has happened in Madrid - a huge increase in bars applying for terrazas, and being prepared to pay the high fees.
http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/04/02/...67_127667.html
http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/04/02/...67_127667.html
One being that customers can smoke outside on the terrace, another being that the the gov made the laws for terraces more flexible, there is not so many rules on the type of furniture that can be used, and the big heaters can be used.
So all in all, it gives scope for bars to open terraces, it does not necessarily mean that business is booming for the new applicants.
Also a lot will be "forced" to open a terrace if the neighbours are doing it to make the playing field level then the other business need to do it too, or they will lose the "smokers" and people who wish to sit outside.
You may interprete the increase in numbers to an upturn in business,but I am sure there is more to it than that.
May 13th 2012, 12:31 pm
#90
Not Banned (yet)
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Madrid
Posts: 6,400
Re: Thinking of opening a bar in Tenerife.
If you read the article you posted it gives a few reasons for the increase in terraces.
One being that customers can smoke outside on the terrace, another being that the the gov made the laws for terraces more flexible, there is not so many rules on the type of furniture that can be used, and the big heaters can be used.
So all in all, it gives scope for bars to open terraces, it does not necessarily mean that business is booming for the new applicants.
Also a lot will be "forced" to open a terrace if the neighbours are doing it to make the playing field level then the other business need to do it too, or they will lose the "smokers" and people who wish to sit outside.
You may interprete the increase in numbers to an upturn in business,but I am sure there is more to it than that.
One being that customers can smoke outside on the terrace, another being that the the gov made the laws for terraces more flexible, there is not so many rules on the type of furniture that can be used, and the big heaters can be used.
So all in all, it gives scope for bars to open terraces, it does not necessarily mean that business is booming for the new applicants.
Also a lot will be "forced" to open a terrace if the neighbours are doing it to make the playing field level then the other business need to do it too, or they will lose the "smokers" and people who wish to sit outside.
You may interprete the increase in numbers to an upturn in business,but I am sure there is more to it than that.
Article in the newspaper today, states that requests for licences to open up terraces has increased significantly in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This is partly thanks to the smoking ban, but if the bars were gong bust they wouldn't be opening terraces a great expense!!