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Could you open your own cafe?

Get advice from the experts

Ideally every start-up has a business angel, to provide some essential mentoring - even if it’s your cousin Albie and his ten years experience serving behind a pub bar. Lulu's saviour was her local Business Link Centre who matched her up with an advisor with similar retail experiences. He guided her through some of the questions that she had not already addressed and best of all, it was free. Some of the legal issues you should consider are: Which licence you will need for your premises and which licence will you need for your business (all businesses require different licences depending on how they are categorised); what is the liklihood that you will be granted the licence (all borough's have quotas for the various types of businesses in their area, so you'll need to check they are happy with your plans). These are all questions you should know the answer to before you spend any money, and the best place to start is talking to your local council.

Learn the legal

Although lengthy experience in the catering or retail trade is highly recommended before you plunge into this line of work - you don’t actually need any qualifications to open your own café. But you must comply with the provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990, the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 and the Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations 1995. Details from your local council. Also mandatory is a Health and Safety Certificate, easily obtained after completion of a half-day course.

The right rental

Amazingly, Lulu tried to secure four different premises before she eventually found a home for Betty Blythe, “some places seemed as if they had almost been abandoned and often I would be leaving messages for landlords who just never returned my calls”. So, assuming you’ve found someone who’s interested in your proposition, make sure you negotiate on your terms. Lulu points out, “No landlord is going to be interested in a short-term deal, so show them you mean business! This is one of the most important deals you will ever do because, if your rent is too high, then no matter how hard you try, in the end, the numbers will never really add up”. Lulu managed to negotiate a rent-free period during the fitting out of her shop, which was a great strategy. Remember, it’s in your landlord’s interests for your business to be a success so get him or her to work with you, not against you. The council won't be quite so flexible on your rates but, if you can, haggle whenever possible. A good business, in the right location, will attract loyal customers. And if the chemistry is right, your place will be buzzing all day long.

Expect the unexpected

The above is Lulu's motto which means she’s always ready to deal with one of the many small crises that are part of the job. Whether its a faulty till, a late bread delivery, or a spot check from the Council, Lulu says, you’ve got to be ready for anything, “If a fridge breaks down we need to know how to get it fixed or replaced quickly, and we also need to work out where to store the produce in the meantime to ensure none of the stock gets ruined“.

© Copyright MumsRock Ltd 2009

Betty Blythe sells a mouth-watering range of organic produce, very decent coffee, devilish cakes and exceedingly good pies and pastries. For more info go to: www.bettyblythe.co.uk/

We hope Lulu's story has given you 'food for thought' – but do make sure you do your own research before taking the plunge into any new business. Lulu recommends reading: How To Start and Run Your Own Restaurant by Carol Goldsmark (How To Books Ltd)

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Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: Get advice from the experts

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