I'm planning opening a pasty shop - what are the profit expectations?

lostinrates

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Trailers take many forms some very specialist use.

Having only one to hire is very restricted choice.

Current nearst hire is 45/50 minutes, or er, an hourish towing! away, they have a choice of two : big and little! I'd only have big. There is a huge range of choice: I'd be getting the one that suited me..although there is now some debate at home over which of the models/makes that suits me would be best. I know which I'd have just for me, but if going to let other people hav it, mybe not:o

Nikkster

Just saw this article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8330573.stm)
and it made me think of this thread...


"Greggs the baker is a 21st Century British High Street phenomenon. With twice the number of outlets as Starbucks, and 200 more than McDonald's, it is "by far the largest food-to-go operator on the High Street," says Andrew Williams, editor of British Baker magazine."

Was suprised that there are more branches of Greggs than McDonalds or Starbucks (two of the brands that are noticeably 'everywhere').

Really2

Nikkster wrote: »

Was suprised that there are more branches of Greggs than McDonalds or Starbucks (two of the brands that are noticeably 'everywhere').

Market towns will not usually let the above in due to thier signage not fitting in with the towns images etc.

where Greggs are just a bakers (and don't want a 40ft M). I presume that is why or we would litteraly see the above on every high street.

Davesnave

Really2 wrote: »

Market towns will not usually let the above in due to thier signage not fitting in with the towns images etc.

where Greggs are just a bakers (and don't want a 40ft M). I presume that is why or we would litteraly see the above on every high street.

There's been a Mc D's and a Starbucks in the middle of Bath for ages, thouigh until recently at least, no Greggs.

OK not exactly a market town, but very image conscious.

I've never been in any of them to eat/drink, but Mc D's was quite useful for kids' parties, until they started getting 'sophisticated,' around the age of six or seven!:rotfl:

lostinrates

Really2 wrote: »

Market towns will not usually let the above in due to thier signage not fitting in with the towns images etc.

where Greggs are just a bakers (and don't want a 40ft M). I presume that is why or we would litteraly see the above on every high street.

Mac D's has a market town alternative frontage. Its black with gold writing IIRC. Can't remember what the one in Bath looks like, but the one in Hamstead,,,:rolleyes:, as thealternative frontage.

dopester

Conrad.. please read this slightly sad story in link below. It is pasty "franchise orientated", but gives quite a bit of insight.

http://disenfranchised.webs.com/

We were told by Paul Clark that because of the high temperatures that year, people were not eating as many pasties and that we should diversify into baguettes.

We had been told that although there were Greggs and Hampsons on every street, they were not competition because they had a lower priced structure and we had a higher class product. People would pay for that difference. Well, in Preston at least, they want the higher class product at a Greggs price. People would come in the shop with a Pound in their hands and see what it would buy. At that time it was really only a sausage roll. Even the smallest pasty was just over a Pound. Eat in prices were even higher due to VAT.

Footfall, by itself, does not mean anything apart from whether the street is busy or not. This is the only thing that we were asked to research in order to find a good location. Oggy didn't seem to consider any other factors such as whether or not those passers by have money or the desire to buy their product.

dopester

lostinrates wrote: »

Go on you lot, disillution me as to the feasibility of this!

I wonder why she has become inundated with enquires for trailers? Is this something new? Something where more horses need to be moved than in previous years, and is it a temporary thing? You wouldn't want to invest too much to find demand slackens off later imo.

I once put together a 4-wheel towing trailer (came flat-pack) and it took me some time to get used to driving with it. Especially reversing it into position at the rubbish tip, so you'd hope whoever hires them has some experience and care in driving with them.

Nikkster

Really2 wrote: »

Market towns will not usually let the above in due to thier signage not fitting in with the towns images etc.

where Greggs are just a bakers (and don't want a 40ft M). I presume that is why or we would litteraly see the above on every high street.

Whilst I'm sure there is a lot of truth in that, I don't think its quite the full story. I am originally from a market town that is supposedly quite concerned about its image (its very touristy), and there's been a McDonalds there for as long as I can remember (I'm guessing due to the fact its a tourist town). Can't remember whether there is a large yellow 'm' outside it though!

Also, where I now work in London, the McDonalds between the tube station and work disappeared about 6 months ago - I always thought it looked packed so not sure why, but maybe it was to do with e.g. the end of a lease rather than not enough custom.

Conrad

dopester wrote: »

Conrad.. please read this slightly sad story in link below. It is pasty "franchise orientated", but gives quite a bit of insight.

http://disenfranchised.webs.com/

Thanks a million Dopester.
Preston would'nt have been my ideal location though!

As I said at outset, this is something I've been kicking around, but I'm not ready yet. Will be at least 2 years. Even then I will !!!!!! myself - I can't tollerate a loss - all those clunking years as a broker, only to see the hard earned cash go up in smoke.

I've made a point of noticing what my more sucessful self employed clients do for a living, and more often than not, they work in a basic basic business area. Here are some recent examples;

Office maintenance co - £155k profit
Cleaning company - £98k profit
Ceiling fixing co - £300k profit
1 man band exterior masonary cleaner (sand blaster) - £150k profit - a real thicky too

The big downside of a prime retail unit would be committing to 1 - 5 years rent. In my town your'e looking at £40,000 pa rent plus £25,000 rates per annum. That's a heck of a risk.

dopester

Nikkster wrote: »

Also, where I now work in London, the McDonalds between the tube station and work disappeared about 6 months ago - I always thought it looked packed so not sure why, but maybe it was to do with e.g. the end of a lease rather than not enough custom.

In Wilmslow where I regularly visit, the McDonalds closed a few years ago. I didn't expect it to as it seemed to get good trade, even if there were rowdy children and lawsuits for the owners to deal with. Setting up a pasty shop really requires a lot of thought and careful projections for all of the variables involved imo.

BURGER chain McDonald’s is to quit Wilmslow.

The exit next month after more than 20 years in Water Lane follows "demographic" changes and general decline in retail trade in the town centre.

But a major switch in shopping and eating habits has also taken its toll since the branch opened in the 1980’s as a flagship for McDonald’s.

It was one of the first to open in the North West and the 188th McDonald’s restaurant in the UK.

Boss, Charles Burr, who is a franchisee of three other McDonald’s restaurants in Cheshire said attempts to relocate from the town centre within the Wilmslow/Handforth area had been thwarted.

"Had we been able to find alternative premises at the right location, then we would, without a doubt, have relocated.

He said there had been massive changes since he arrived in Wilmslow during the 1980s when the town centre was buzzing and the Wilmslow Card was currency at key stores.

He went on: "Wilmslow now is not the Wilmslow it once was.

"Retail trade in the town centre is completely different.

"It was once choc a bloc full of different, interesting shops. It was a vibrant local economy. It provided shoppers with all their needs, there was diversity and interest.

"There were no empty units and people came to Wilmslow to shop, there were fantastic shops to browse around.

"Trade has been dented here now. The bypass opened, followed by the Trafford Centre.

"And parking has always been an issue in Wilmslow.

"Estate agents, charity shops, hair dressers, a lot of duplication has replaced the individuality.

"The hustle and bustle of 15 years ago when it was innovative with a cinema and leisure centre ago has gone."

http://www.wilmslowexpress.co.uk/news/s/1017699_burger_bar_to_the_famous_is_to_close