Hotel and Restaurant Owners

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   25/07/2006, 19:47
MargaretD is not online. Last active: 30/06/2007 17:26:06 MargaretD

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Re: Buying a restaurant - too good to be true?
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Not to want to sound pessimistic, BUT...

I've been "teaching" someone who has bought a butchers and needed to get his CAP so he could "run" it.  Would the French system mean that a qualified chef from the UK would have to have a CAP to start up the business?


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   06/06/2007, 6:37
Dee is not online. Last active: 10/06/2007 04:23:32 Dee

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Re: Buying a restaurant - too good to be true?
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Shimble........ you  have mentioned that it is difficult financially running a restautant in France.I can not talk of the whole of England but I can certainly tell you about London where I ran a type of retsaurant with 5 tables!My RENT and rates where 32,000 pounds per year.The refuse collection was another matter... and payable seperately and there was constant disruption of trade due to road repairs...which were related to fixing the Thames water problems.We had been  trading just over two months....had turential rain and our basement was seriously flooded.Our product was a little different...infact we were a Tratuer/cafe and we prepared  almost everything in our kitchen....confit, terrines...salads...pies...flans...cakes but we imported lots of French and Italian goodies ...the shop be
came like Aladins cave....that is Aladin enjoyed his food.
Saturday was crazy busy but every day was really hard work as three of us would spend an hour and a half every evening cleaning.Health and safety very important.There is, of course massive competition in England as every other person is an entrepreneur or a chef.Whether you are in France or England an d you want to make a living it is not wise to be shy of hard work.       

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   06/06/2007, 8:33
Gastines is not online. Last active: 28/08/2008 14:43:01 Gastines

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Re: Buying a restaurant - too good to be true?
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Having recently looked into the possibily of buying a Cafe/Bar for our daughter, we found all the extra's a bit of a shock. Basically just the business goodwill was advertised[ not clear in the ad but I should have known as it seemed very cheap] On making enquiries, the extra's included a rent for the Cafe premises,rent for the flat above, rent for the decking area, and that was before all the normal taxes and personal cotisations etc.  Not a good investment unless you are a work horse and have plenty of funds behind you.

I remember watching a TV prog. about a couple who bought a cafe/restaurant in Spain. The wife vitually worked herself to death whilst the husband chatted to the customers. They had a very good trade thanks to the wife's efforts but it ended in tears and divorce.

Regards.


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   06/06/2007, 11:14
Dee is not online. Last active: 10/06/2007 04:23:32 Dee

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Re: Buying a restaurant - too good to be true?
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We sold our property near Cancale......nearer to Vivier ...actually Cherrieux and it was the mill kust opposite to the bay.Completely  empty of people untill at least May...interesting spot.Cancale really bustles in the summer........
There is a very particular sort of person who owns a successfull restarant and that is a person who enjoys working very hard....and the partner too.

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   07/11/2007, 17:16
jon is not online. Last active: 04/11/2008 07:40:53 jon

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Re: Buying a restaurant - too good to be true?
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w

what is a  CAP please


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   07/11/2007, 17:50
Cendrillon is not online. Last active: 19/11/2008 22:09:39 Cendrillon

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Re: Buying a restaurant - too good to be true?
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Dee said

There is a very particular sort of person who owns a successfull restarant and that is a person who enjoys working very hard....and the partner too.

Did anyone see Gordon Ramsey last night trying to turn-around a failing veggie restaurant in Paris? The owner had borrowed loads, owed a lot of money as well and did not put her heart and soul into the place so despite Gordon R. with his bright ideas and hard work it failed. I was just glad that he gave the young girl chef the opportunity to work in one of his restaurants in London, she really deserved it.


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   08/11/2007, 9:44
Gemonimo is not online. Last active: 14/11/2008 23:37:13 Gemonimo

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Re: Buying a restaurant - too good to be true?
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jon, the CAP is the Certificate d'Aptitude Professionelle and covers most professions from couturier to boucher.  Jen

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   08/11/2007, 12:55
Just Katie is not online. Last active: 20/10/2008 15:30:17 Just Katie



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Re: Buying a restaurant - too good to be true?
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Little side step off topic but what happened to Viv, the OP?
The immigrant in the attic
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   09/11/2007, 8:32
jon is not online. Last active: 04/11/2008 07:40:53 jon

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Re: Buying a restaurant - too good to be true?
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Thanks for the translation of Cap.

Should have watched the programme  mentioned.

My first restaurant was vegetarian....was one of the first...then we had a vegan restaurant.Very challenging and loved working hard.There is no choise in the restaurant buisness..........you have to work really hard to make it happen.

Many of my friends and collegues/associates are still in London and greater London doing their thing...some have young families and others have an empire which they have built and have become celebreties.

It has been my dream to venture outside the enviroment of ever busy London and  live and work in my country house..creating a refuge away from city life.

All this begins next week........I hope!!!!!!!


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