Snack bar

[ray000]

Hi all,

I am looking to open a snack bar / street food type business, the closest similar shop I can think of is Greggs, that is, a mix of hot and cold food and drinks.

Looking to test the products at a market first of course, but my ultimate goal is to go into the high street, and that's where I'm looking for help with. I do have experience working in takeaways, but not actually running one myself.

Most retail spaces I see are for A1 retail purposes, which means I will have to apply for change of use to A3 (restaurants and cafes), or maybe A5 (hot food takeaways). That means either apply for the change of use before signing the lease, risking losing the premises to someone else while waiting for the council to decide. Or, sign the lease to secure the premises but risk the change of use being turned down.

So my question is, how does this normally work? Are landlord likely to put a unit on hold while you wait for planning to decide?

Thanks
Ray

 

[Mr D]

Or you could lease a place already with the appropriate permission. They do come up for rent.

 

[ray000]

That would be ideal, but they get snapped up very quickly in my local town. There was a pie shop that closed and the builders moved in the following week to turn it into a different branded pie shop.

 

[Mr D]

That would be ideal, but they get snapped up very quickly in my local town. There was a pie shop that closed and the builders moved in the following week to turn it into a different branded pie shop.

So get in there quick.
See a business that's closing find out who the landlord is.

 

[ray000]

I had a quick word with one of the local agents and they said some landlord are happy to put the units on hold while you wait, but obviously depends on individual landlords. This is slightly encouraging, as yet another cafe has come and gone as soon as I found out about it.

 

[sminter1st]

You can also talk to the council, our local council are quite happy to advise you 'unofficially' on the likelihood of getting the change of use. It was a while ago now but I think when we did our takeaway we paid £100 for advice and help to apply for change of use...