Farm shop & Tea Room

TeaRoomVenture

:hello: lovely people!
I need to pick your brain on a business venture I'm about to throw myself into. I want to take over a farm shop and a tea room in a country side location. Big car park, garden on the side, huge potential.
What would you expect to find in a typical farm shop and tea room?
Type of produce
Deco
Food & Drink menu
Child friendly
Facilities
Service
Type of payment offered
Price range

How often would you visit it and if not why?
What would be the extra mile?
Any big no-no?

Please feel free to add any question I would have missed!
Thank you very much for your help:T

SnooksNJ

Botulism and E. Coli would be no no's.

Pennywise

TeaRoomVenture wrote: »

Any big no-no?

Make sure you get the lease reviewed and explained by a good commercial solicitor. You really, really need to know what your liabilities will be, break clauses and whether you could sell the business to someone else.

I've seen loads of horror stories. Latest one was someone who fell for signing up to a very prestigious art gallery in a picturesque village location. They've been bankrupted by the landlord because they couldn't make a go of it, couldn't get out of the lease, couldn't sell it, and were then landed with a huge bill for property repairs. Well and truly conned. They fell, hook, line and sinker for it and didn't really understand what they were signing up for.

TeaRoomVenture

It sounds fairlyobvious Snook!!!! But thanks for pointing that out!

TeaRoomVenture

Always read the small prints is essential indeed. Thanks a lot Penny-wise 😉

lincroft1710

I trust you have seen how the business runs, what is stocked in the shop, what is on the menu, etc and most importantly, studied the books. What do you think you should do to improve the current situation? Who are the current clientele?

As I don't drink tea, do not relish the idea of overpriced afternoon teas and rarely shop at farm shops, it's not an establishment I'd be visiting.

But which do you consider the main draw, the shop or tearoom, hoping that shop customers may decide to stay for tea, or tearoom customers may decide to buy something from the shop.

Pennywise's advice is excellent.

Loanranger

I would want to know the reason why the existing operator is giving it up. Can't make a profit? Can't get staff? Hours too long? Supplier difficulties...can't get top quality food? Local competition.

SnooksNJ

TeaRoomVenture wrote: »

It sounds fairlyobvious Snook!!!! But thanks for pointing that out!

Not for Chipotle.

Mojisola

TeaRoomVenture wrote: »

I want to take over a farm shop and a tea room in a country side location. Big car park, garden on the side, huge potential.

So why is it being sold?

Research the competition - have you visited any other farm shops in the area? Are they thriving? Are they providing anything different?

Owain_Moneysaver

Is the target market local people who want freshly harvested tatties with the soil still on, or coach parties stopping for a tea-n-pee break who'll maybe buy a souvenir jar of home-made jam?

Ms_Chocaholic

Is it close to a main road to get passing trade?