looking to start up catering business on ind.est

swingaloo

I would suggest that as well as getting a feel for the place during the day that you also try to speak to some of the workers.

I work on an industrial estate and have seen a few vans come and go over the last few years.

Our company work shifts round the clock and our canteen only has machines, no fresh cooked food, We also have microwaves and fridges.
People are always grumbling and there is always optimism when a new van comes on the estate.

The problem however is time. We get 30 mins for break. If someone goes to the van then almost every time they end up being asked to bring things back for others. By the time they return most of their break has gone and eventually they get fed up of spending half the break standing on the car park. The smokers also have a shelter where they must go if they want to smoke but cannot take food so that to cuts into their time.

What has started to happen is that there are local caterers who will deliver food to the door at the time the break starts so a lot have started using them. It means that the food is ready when you are and you do not have to queue at a van.

I know a few of the surrounding companies are doing this rather than using the vans so I would definitely research the company staff before asking the company permission to rent I site.

butyourwarm

can someone who runs a business please tell me roughly how much gas they use each week.just trying to cost things up at the moment.thanks

butyourwarm

also diesel costs for genny???

butyourwarm

hi all just an update on this.i`m waiting on an answer for a brand new pitch on an industrial estate.obviously this will need me to buy a new trailer and start the business from scratch.probably looking at a start out cost of no more than £10,000 if all went well with this.

but....

another option has come up regarding a pre-existing business on a b&q site.we have spoken briefly to the owners this week who have asked for £25,000 to sell up.they have been trading for over 2 years now and say they are taking around £1,700 per week.they have said we can see the books to verify this so i will arrange a meeting hopefully next week with my mum who has dealt with accounts all her life.

i suppose the question is-with a weekly return of £1,700 would the asking price seem fair?

we`ve done some basic numbers on what we think we would spend each week and would be quite happy with the profit left over providing the books tally up.

any thoughts from experienced van owners would be invaluable to us at this time and most grateful for any replies.

thanks

Mistral001

butyourwarm wrote: »

another option has come up regarding a pre-existing business on a b&q site.we have spoken briefly to the owners this week who have asked for £25,000 to sell up.they have been trading for over 2 years now and say they are taking around £1,700 per week.they have said we can see the books to verify this so i will arrange a meeting hopefully next week with my mum who has dealt with accounts all her life.

Is "weekly return" profit or turnover. Also is trailer and pitch included in the price? not van owner by the way but seems something anybody who is one would need to know to give you some pointers.

Savvy_Sue

And why are they selling up? Is the rent for the pitch about to triple or quadruple?

butyourwarm

van and pitch all included.weekly return is turnover.owners come from about 40 miles away everyday and have been there for 2 years.the pitch has been on b and q for many years now.they have an evening business which they want to focus on.with that and the travelling costs they have said they are looking to sell.obviously this is just from their mouths so take with a pinch of salt.but after doing some sums ourselves last night we figure to be better off by nearly double what we are at the moment.myself and wife are both in jobs where we dont get to see each and family time is very rare and believe this venture would benefit that side of things too.

Mistral001

I would show them to an experienced accountant as well as your mum who no doubt has a lot of experience, but might not have seen the books of a burger van before. It is likely that an experienced accountant have carried out the accounts of a burger van or if not several cafes before.. They will know what costs are to be expected with such an enterprise and be able to point out any omissions or under-estimates. I am not an accountant by the way.

[Deleted User]

The price seems very cheap for a trailer/van on a B&Q site.

The large vans that you see on these sites often cost a great deal themselves.

I hear (as a trader myself) that the pitch fees are very very large and have to be paid in advance.

Would you being new have to pay this upfront and provide a deposit to the land owner (either B&Q or whoever they lease from?)

Annisele

butyourwarm wrote: »

van and pitch all included.weekly return is turnover.

OK...but knowing the turnover doesn't help you all that much. It's the profit that matters.

If they take £1,700 a week but have to pay out £1,500 a week in expenses, it's a rubbish deal for you. If the expenses are £150 a week it's pretty decent.

You say you've done some numbers with the amounts you think you'd be spending, but do you know if they're spending anything like your projections?

Separately, do you have access to £25k? Business loans aren't all that easy to get at the moment, particularly with a less-than-perfect credit history.