# Thinking of selling up in the UK and buying a business in Spain



## KWD (Jan 23, 2012)

Hi all, I am a single guy in my mid forties running my own recruitment business which is going through very hard times due to the global slowdown. I am thinking on selling up in the UK and moving out to Spain and buying a restuarant. I have some experience in the catering trade from when I was in my early 20s. I am mad?


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

KWD said:


> Hi all, I am a single guy in my mid forties running my own recruitment business which is going through very hard times due to the global slowdown. I am thinking on selling up in the UK and moving out to Spain and buying a restuarant. I have some experience in the catering trade from when I was in my early 20s. *I am mad?*


Yes


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Certifiably so, I'm afraid....

An awful lot of restaurants and cafes/bars of all types, from the posh to the greasy spoon, have closed around here and I have no reason to believe things are different elsewhere.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

To quantify that ... you mentioned yourself, a global slow down

I'm not saying it would be where you would choose, but I visited Benidorm a few days back. I walked down the pedestrian street from the top down to the Levante beach. I counted 20 bars and restaurants boarded up and for sale. Thats less than half a mile or so

Spain is suffering at the moment. menu del Dias hereabouts have gone down from €9 - €10 each to €7-€8. A lot of the restaurants are quieter than they were a few years back, and we are approaching the holiday time.

Only you can really know if you want to take the risk at a time like this. The only thing I can tell you is that you will find plenty of places up for sale with people trying to sell up and get out


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## XTreme (May 17, 2008)

KWD said:


> I am thinking on selling up in the UK and moving out to Spain and buying a restuarant.


You should check out *Businesses For Sale in Spain*.....lot of options there!


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## Solwriter (Jan 10, 2012)

Hi KWD,
I have seen a lot of UK recruitment agencies shut down over the last couple of years, so I do have an idea of your concerns right now, but I don't think that moving to Spain and buying a restuarant is the answer.
In the same vein, neither do I think that setting up a restaurant in the UK right now is the answer.

I know that once you are self-employed it is hard to go back to working for an employer, but have you thought about doing some networking and marketing your considerable recruitment skills with a view to working for a larger company?
As you have been running a recruitment agency for some time, I'm sure you could find a way to present your skills and experience in a favourable way to prospective employers.

I'm not saying this will be easy, but it is probably a better alternative to selling up and trying to start a consumer-related business in Spain right now.


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

Of course not !
The Global recession hasn't affected us here in Spain yet and the streets are all paved with gold.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Buy a restaurant in the UK first - much easier rules, regulations, permits and no language barrier. Once you've done that and gained a bit more experience, you can look towards Spain. By then the recession will hopefully be over

Jo xxx


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

To be honest I'd go for it. The market in spain has hit rock bottom and you could buy cheap. And English cuisine is well sort after. I mean "cod and chips" sounds so much better than "Merluza frita" 

To be fair I jest you maybe entering a recovering market and as Europe recovers you may prosper


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

nigele2 said:


> To be honest I'd go for it. The market in spain has hit rock bottom and you could buy cheap. And English cuisine is well sort after. I mean "cod and chips" sounds so much better than "Merluza frita"
> 
> To be fair I jest you maybe entering a recovering market and as Europe recovers you may prosper


It IS nice to see someone offering encouragement for a change.
Putting myself in the OPs place, I just dont think I could entertain the idea, but I guess not every business fails in Spain, and thats down to research.

I juice bar opened in Gandia some years back. No one thought it would work. There were loads of bars around. But it worked, because the owners worked out (not difficult) that there were NO bars just selling natural juices in that are of Gandia. They are rushed off their feet asnd have done very well


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Thats the point tho. Massive amounts of sensible research, feasibility studies, business and financial plans need to be worked out. Its not something you can just go and do. Its all about risk and right now the odds are terrible. Thats not to say it wont work, but its like any gamble, there will be a percentage chance it will work, especially if its well planned, funded and there is a market need.

My husband is in the process of starting another business in the UK, he is planning to run it alongside his existing business. He knows the chosen industry inside out, but is still studying the market, making plans, predictions, forecast of growth, etc. Thats in the UK where he fully understands the rules and regulations. He's planning to start this by the end of the year. Its not a whim, which many people going to Spain seem to work on. Information and planning is so important and seems to be lacking when people think of moving to Spain. Its not easy, its not like it was twenty years ago when folk just upsticks and lived the dream

Jo xxx


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## nigele2 (Dec 25, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> It IS nice to see someone offering encouragement for a change.


Stravinsky I must own up it was tongue in cheek and I was thinking if the op wants to inject some cash into spain then that's ok by me.

But as you say for certain unique people with unique ideas there are always possibilities. But equally there are things outside even their control.

In my pueblo in Asturias two really great brothers had a bar called "Why not". With the extension of the marina (sounds grand but think sailing boats as opposed to yatchs ) and the money spent on improving the village (new maritime promenade, pedestrian areas, more festivals), they decided to throw their cash at going up market, more wine bar than beer bar - and they made a cracking job of it. And now as they enter their second full season disaster

EL PREGONERU

At the weekends hundreds come to the beach. Then spend in the village. But not this year. Now if the OP really wants to get in cheap I can recommend Carreño 

ps Just as well you're not coming Pesky


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