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Cost of starting up and running a business in drogheda

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  • 31-03-2011 10:08am
    #1
    ssmith6287
    Registered Users Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭


    I'm thinking of opening a cafe in drogheda. the place is centrally located and has all the equipment a furniture incl in price. Just wondering if anybody knows roughly the kind of costs whether it be taxes, insurance, certs needed for a place like this. Ive never opened a business before so any help would be appreciated


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    #2
    borderlinemeath
    Registered Users Posts: 5,340 ✭✭✭borderlinemeath


    maybe post this in entrepreneurial & business management forum - lots of good advice given out there.


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    #3
    Scotty #
    Registered Users Posts: 3,772 ✭✭✭Scotty #


    ssmith6287 wrote: »
    I'm thinking of opening a cafe....

    Ive never opened a business before...
    Have you ever run/managed a cafe or similar before?

    As someone who works in the industry it never ceases to amaze me how many people just decide to open a restaurant with absolutely no experience. You wouldn't open a hair dressers with no experience or a butchers but yet people seem to think you need no training or experience to open a restaurant. It's baffling (and probably the reason so many go bust in the first 18 months). I'm not referring to you OP... it's just an observation. I have no idea of your background.

    If I was thinking of opening a cafe in Drogheda I'd want to know why it's up for rent? What happened to last occupier? How long was last occupier there? See who main competition is and why? What are they doing right?

    Hire an accountant for taxes etc. You'll wish you did if you don't.

    Ongoing costs involved are rent, supplies, services (Elec, Gas, Water, Waste), insurance, RATES (very important you know how much they are first and if the previous tenant left any outstanding!), marketing and probably a few I'm not thinking of.

    Expect to lose money for the first few weeks/months and make sure you are sufficiently bankrolled for this.

    It's a tough business!

    ...and yes, you will get a much better response on the business forum.


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    #4
    D rog
    Registered Users Posts: 168 ✭✭D rog


    Scotty # wrote: »
    See who main competition is and why? What are they doing right?

    There are some really lovely cafes in Drogheda.

    The salthouse does fab, quick, fresh, cheap food. I can always get a seat and I'm never waiting long.
    The new cafe, I think it's traders?, at the bottom of Laurences street does great tea and coffee and lovely treats. However it's tiny for a sit down, not very practical with more than a couple of people.
    The artisan cafe in stockwell street, again does great treats, snadwiches and coffee but once again can be difficult to access.
    Then you have all the normal large cafes like the bagel bar, casa mia, insomnia coffee, BB's and jaffa.

    What style are you thinking and is there a market place for you?


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    #5
    ingen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭ingen


    ssmith6287 wrote: »
    I'm thinking of opening a cafe in drogheda. the place is centrally located and has all the equipment a furniture incl in price. Just wondering if anybody knows roughly the kind of costs whether it be taxes, insurance, certs needed for a place like this. Ive never opened a business before so any help would be appreciated

    insurance, would be one of your biggest annual costs!


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    #6
    ssmith6287
    Registered Users Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭ssmith6287


    Cheers guys, yeah I managed 2 bars in town (both proprieter making final calls so i was basically assistand manager but was was classed as manager because I was onsite), studied hospitality management for 3 years but decided to go down the IT route and didnt finish my degree. Was an assistant manager for a large multi national retail company and I've been working in marketing for about 8 months now.

    I know its not a massive amount of experience but the way I see it is, you get out what you put in. I do have a slightly risky management style but it has worked in all my jobs so Im kind of hoping it could be the same here.

    The cafe has all the fittings already, saying that I've litterally seen it for rent, I havent looked any further. Ive never dealt with food from a business pov, obviously in college part of the course was train as a chef to a 5 star standard but that was maybe 6 years ago. food has a much smaller use by time then drink does

    I do realise there are risks, but I think the recession is the perfect time to try it, rents are low, labour is cheap (altough pay peanuts for monkeys) but I will be seeking further advice, was just hoping to maybe get some input from a larger network of people

    cheers.


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