Donkey Rides

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Moneygrabber89
Moneygrabber89 Posts: 197 Forumite
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in Boost your income
Awaiting abuse however...


I was just wanting some opinions to whether people think this a good business idea.


I have an appointment with the local council to discuss setting up a business on 2 local very popular beaches.


I understand the out costs such as storing the donkeys however my granddad owns a farm very close by and cattle wagons etc.


if had 4 donkeys - £4 per ride - 50 rides on each site per day - £400 a day
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  • iarniee
    iarniee Posts: 96 Forumite
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    Moneygrabber89 wrote: »
    Awaiting abuse however...


    I was just wanting some opinions to whether people think this a good business idea.


    I have an appointment with the local council to discuss setting up a business on 2 local very popular beaches.


    I understand the out costs such as storing the donkeys however my granddad owns a farm very close by and cattle wagons etc.


    if had 4 donkeys - £4 per ride - 50 rides on each site per day - £400 a day

    50 rides per day on a weekday?

    What about when the weather is bad?

    How long is each ride?
  • twhitehousescat
    twhitehousescat Posts: 5,368 Forumite
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    what does a donkey on blackpool beach get for dinner?
  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 72,207 Ambassador
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    Moneygrabber89 wrote: »
    Awaiting abuse however...


    I was just wanting some opinions to whether people think this a good business idea.


    I have an appointment with the local council to discuss setting up a business on 2 local very popular beaches.


    I understand the out costs such as storing the donkeys however my granddad owns a farm very close by and cattle wagons etc.


    if had 4 donkeys - £4 per ride - 50 rides on each site per day - £400 a day

    From your £400 you will need to pay at least one other person to manage the 2nd site, plus cover for lunch, so even if you pay less than minimum wage you could be looking at £80 or so per day.. PLus your insurances are likely to be high plus permit costs etc.

    Add to that the animal rights brigade which might cause issues, and of course if the person managing your other site does anything that looks like the donkey is being mistreated then you are likely to face problems.

    Have you factored in costs of donkeys, vet bills , feed, stabling etc. Transport costs (including costs for insurance in transporting live stock).

    It looks rather naive to do a simple cost breakdown of estimated rides x cost = profit, so do a proper business plan with all the other costs built in.

    Lastly, check the weight requirements, there was something in the papers a couple of,years back where someone was prosecuted for allowing children/young adults that were deemed too heavy for the donkey to ride. That implies there is an upper weight limit so you will need to keep an eye on that.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 72,207 Ambassador
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    edited 24 June 2019 at 11:13AM
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    There is a more recent one that this but I can't find it- the weight limit is 8 stone

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7330180.stm

    This concerns the license you will need to obtain which includes certification from an approved vet:

    https://apsph-polo.org.uk/legislation
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • DigForVictory
    DigForVictory Posts: 11,906 Forumite
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    The public liability insurance would have me running away screaming.

    Plus, as I recall, the traditional donkey beach saddle is not your average hackabout but has a hearty steel loop to cling to as well as all the decoration expected - hat with holes for ears for each animal, not quite bunting along the reins, frankly gaudy holiday fun that you have to find, fit & keep photographable.

    It could make a lot of cash, but whether it could actually cover its costs is another question.
  • mjm3346
    mjm3346 Posts: 46,898 Forumite
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    Historically 8 stone (50kg) has been used as a guideline. In reality this should be the maximum load for a fit, larger than average donkey and only when the rider is able to stay balanced and react to the movements of the donkey.


    https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/what-we-do/knowledge-and-advice/working-donkeys
  • mikep22
    mikep22 Posts: 1,529 Forumite
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    Sounds like hes had a mare

    (boom tsh!)
    Debt: May 15: £17335 Jul 16: £13874 Jan 17: £11,606 Dec 18: £8,308 Sept 19: £4,969 Jul 21: £890
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  • sebloak
    sebloak Posts: 185 Forumite
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    The donkeys on two beaches close to me don't seem to get many riders, even on sunny days when the beaches are full, and just look miserable having to stand around.
  • stripeyfox
    stripeyfox Posts: 474 Forumite
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    mikep22 wrote: »
    Sounds like hes had a mare

    (boom tsh!)

    c'mon man, don't be an a s s!!!!!
    :rotfl:
  • rreeve
    rreeve Posts: 32 Forumite
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    I don't see anything wrong with this so long as the Donkeys are treated well with plenty of food and water, especially in hot weather. Obviously, it will be your responsibility to clean the beach area after use. You will also need liability insurance.


    The problems you might have is the price and the amount of customers you expect to get. I live 2mins from Weymouth beach which does have Donkey rides but only for approx 6 - 8 weeks during the peak summer season when the kids are off school and the beach is packed. I don't believe they charge as much as £4 but the Donkey rides only cover a very small area. It must be worth their while to do it for a short spell each year but I couldn't speculate how much they make. They do tend to have a line of kids all the time but remember Weymouth beach gets extreamly busy for these few weeks.


    If you think it will work for you and the council are on your side then I would go for it and test the price that works.


    Also, you could have little extras to earn a bit more from the donkey rides. Maybe sell photographs of the kids on the donkey or maybe sell cuddly toys of Donkeys. Another way you could make a recurring income would be to get a very certificates and photos and ask your customers to adopt a donkey for a monthly fee and each month you could send them photos and a newsletter. The money from this could be used to feed and care for the Donkeys.


    Good Luck.


    EDIT: If you can get a local council on your side this is a massive achievement because from my experience they can be very strict and hard to convince. A few years back I had an idea for Weymouth beach that the council rejected. I wanted to walk around the beach and sell cold drinks and ice cream from a icebox. I even offered to pick up litter on the beach while I was doing it but they wouldn't let me do it.
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