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

lostinrates

dopester wrote: »

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.

Something new? Sort of, accumulating factors, people are finding there lorries too expensive to keep...more people transport than used to. When I was a kid those of us goin to shows/Pony club rallies used to meet up on route, and ride to the thing together for saftey. Now no kid rides, (too dangerous on roads..but bear in mind I was still ponyclubbing 1o years ago, I'm not ancient!) I think more ''swish'' to arrive in transport: far less fun, or good for kids/ponies IMO. Our ponies were very fit because those rallies were hard days for them, but they were fit and healthy. Now fat ponies who never go outside sand arenas look bored while their little jockeys take off matching pink travelling sets and leave their ponies tied up alone while they socialise together.:rolleyes:

dopester

lostinrates wrote: »

Something new? Sort of, accumulating factors, people are finding there lorries too expensive to keep...more people transport than used to. When I was a kid those of us goin to shows/Pony club rallies used to meet up on route, and ride to the thing together for saftey. Now no kid rides, (too dangerous on roads..but bear in mind I was still ponyclubbing 1o years ago, I'm not ancient!) I think more ''swish'' to arrive in transport: far less fun, or good for kids/ponies IMO.

So you are suggesting it is to reduce reliance on expensive lorry transport... with the increased cost-effective trailer demand for shows.

I was fearing it was possible for some demand to be a one off relocation journey, for horses which are seldom moved from one location, to perhaps somewhere else in the country where they can be looked after?

Are these horse shows still attracting high levels of visitors compared to say 2006?

The point I'm trying to get at is whether you'd buy 1 then 2 or more trailers, and find there is falling demand later, or falling ability to pay the fee you'd want to rent a trailer for.

Perhaps demand would remain high depending on your particular area I suppose. The wealth demographic.

I'm very sensitive about any stories of the maltreatment of horses. I've mentally blocked out the exact details of what happened to all those horses in the Netherlands a few years ago, and can only remember it was something to do with water.

Result of my first google search..

Horse show falls at hurdle
Tuesday, March 31, 2009, 08:00

Winchcombe Horse Show has been cancelled because of a lack of support.

The organising committee for the annual event – which has been going for 27 years – said they have pulled the plug on the show scheduled for May.

But if new people come forward to help organise future show, they hope to get the event under starter's orders for next year.

Chairman of the committee Mandy Morrison, who lives in Laverton, has been working on the show for 18 years.

She said: "It's a great shame that the show won't be put on this year, but we really need some new blood and fresh ideas.

"The committee is very willing to help anybody who steps forward. We need someone new and enthusiastic to take it on, and we will support them."

The annual gymkhana features a range of categories like jumping, ring and dressage.

Mrs Morrison, 42, said the number of people attending the show had been falling in recent years, possibly as a result of the increasing numbers of shows put on by pony clubs.

Another member of the show's committee, Julia Plumb, who lives in Toddington, said: "It's been getting less and less support. In previous years the show has made thousands of pounds for charity, but last year we only made about £800.

"In the last few years, attendances have been so low."

Although "increasing numbers of shows by pony clubs"

continues http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/news/Horse-falls-hurdle/article-855392-detail/article.html

lostinrates

dopester wrote: »

So you are suggesting it is to reduce reliance on expensive lorry transport... with the increased cost-effective trailer demand for shows.

Yes, I think some of it is ne offs/ less regular journeys. People are more...fickle than they used to be, more open to change.

I was fearing it was possible for some demand to be a one off relocation journey, for horses which are seldom moved from one location, to perhaps somewhere else in the country where they can be looked after?

Some of it

Are these horse shows still attracting high levels of visitors compared to say 2006?
No, and yes....lots of the big shows have suffered. this is partly money partly other non rleevnat to ths forum reasons IMO.
The point I'm trying to get at is whether you'd buy 1 then 2 or more trailers, and find there is falling demand later, or falling ability to pay the fee you'd want to rent a trailer for.

Would only buy one: main purpose would be my own use...wondering if it could help pay for itself really!

Perhaps demand would remain high depending on your particular area I suppose. The wealth demographic. Yes, but problem when I move

I'm very sensitive about any stories of the maltreatment of horses. I've mentally blocked out the exact details of what happened to all those horses in the Netherlands a few years ago, and can only remember it was something to do with water.

Did you see the rescue from water of somewhere, was that netherlands ...? I've seen it a few times and creid everytime, and its a happy ending, but I weep. If I had your email or you still received PMs I'd send you some petitions.:D there are horrid things to protect horses from, almost all of them to do with humans. Good reason not to havePMsI guess

Result of my first google search..

continues http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/news/Horse-falls-hurdle/article-855392-detail/article.html

My computer doesn't like link, will try later. There is so much to be said on all your points, could right reams, but trying to cut down...so won't!

Edit: works now. Sad. Pehas also worth listen ing to , if you have interest and if they are still available, is the excellent stuff Radio four did on the last Royal Show (Agricultural show).

Davesnave

lostinrates wrote: »

Pehas also worth listening to , if you have interest and if they are still available, is the excellent stuff Radio four did on the last Royal Show (Agricultural show).

That was a sad programme.

We've noticed how land-based shows, ag, dog, horse, horticulture etc. have altered over the years. Some time ago, at one which has now dropped the 'horticultural' from its title, we found ourselves watching cowboys and indians fight a mock battle, while members of the Triumph Stag Club looked on from under their sunshades with their G&Ts. :rolleyes:

'What the hell are we doing here?' I asked DW, and as she couldn't think of a reason either, we boycotted it for a couple of seasons.

Drifted back though. Money was a good enough excuse, especially in financially dead August.:o

I'm thinking of flogging the Sprinter and getting a trailer. I love vans though, or rather the view from them.....that and the fact that you never need worry whether it will fit in when you buy something long at B&Q!:D

lostinrates

Davesnave wrote: »

That was a sad programme.

We've noticed how land-based shows, ag, dog, horse, horticulture etc. have altered over the years. Some time ago, at one which has now dropped the 'horticultural' from its title, we found ourselves watching cowboys and indians fight a mock battle, while members of the Triumph Stag Club looked on from under their sunshades with their G&Ts. :rolleyes:

'What the hell are we doing here?' I asked DW, and as she couldn't think of a reason either, we boycotted it for a couple of seasons.

Drifted back though. Money was a good enough excuse, especially in financially dead August.:o

I'm thinking of flogging the Sprinter and getting a trailer. I love vans though, or rather the view from them.....that and the fact that you never need worry whether it will fit in when you buy something long at B&Q!:D

I find it sad at a localcountry show, where there were tents of sheep, there is now one sheep marquee and two or three of camelids. They are lovely, don't get me wrong but.....

...we forgot what the ag shows were for. Westminster never really got it.

Much of the business raison d'etre is no loger there, it changed, some is just....not important enough even if still there.

misskool

lostinrates wrote: »

I find it sad at a localcountry show, where there were tents of sheep, there is now one sheep marquee and two or three of camelids. They are lovely, don't get me wrong but.....

.

I could google but only have a few moments on here, what is a camelid?

lostinrates

misskool wrote: »

I could google but only have a few moments on here, what is a camelid?

Sorry, alpaca.:o

PasturesNew

I went to the Royal Cornwall Show this summer for the first (probably last) time. That was huge, lots of lovely sheepies.

http://www.royalcornwallshow.org/

Apparently 125,243 people went.

PasturesNew

There was a piece in today's Magazine section of the BBC News website about why Greggs is so popular/successful
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8330573.stm

PasturesNew

Conrad wrote: »

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

I think there's a lot of money in being a "bloke that turns up at houses to do something manual", I just don't have the ability/skills, nor the desire to work outdoors.

Gardeners and dog walkers seem to attract a high rate for jobs that theoretically "anybody can do".

I hired a solo man to paint the exterior of my house. He was quite slow, but did a good job. He was there a total of 3 days just doing the front (I did mention slow didn't I). From memory he did: scraping down, making good, 2 coats of magnolia masonry paint, big (1900s) windowsills in white. But most of the front was glass as it had huge bay windows across about 50% of the house width.

He turned up each morning with scaffolding he'd hired, he took it down each night and took it away. He said he didn't want to own the scaffolding as that made him liable for its upkeep under regulations, so it was easier/better that he just hired a platform on the days he needed it.

I paid him £400. No idea how much the scaffolding cost, or the paint, he had a van too (signwritten, along with house shapes and the price alongside the house shape).

That's all he did was paint the outside of houses. I bet there's a lot of times he can't paint though due to poor weather.