I want to move to spain with my wife and buy a little bar. What should I do?

Question

Where can I get the best advice? Can anybody give me the advice or point me in the right direction.

Answer 1

Good Luck to you both. This is what my hubby wants us to do, but i couldn't face leaving my 2 children and grandson behind even though they're now grown up. Go for it.

Answer 2

As everyone else has said. DON'T DO IT. It may be a dream, but believe me it is really hard work if you want to earn a living. I have lived here 15 years and have lived on the Costa all that time, bars are here by the thousand and unless you have a large family who can share the workload then I wouldn't advise you to do it. Earning a decent wage here is very, very hard whatever job you do, there are too many Brits here and less and less good jobs. It was everyones dream once upon a time to run their own bar, but you will have to be open all hours for it to work. Sorry!
Try ansdthink of a business that we DONT have here, and maybe you'll strike lucky. The direction I would point you would be somewhere else other than Spain!

Answer 3

Your biggest requirement is research. be sure you are notswept up with the 'dream' of a nice little bar in a sunny spot.

My family and I are moving to Spain in about a month - it has taken nearly 3 years to do the whole move - and in that time I have seen the results Brits who see that 'lifestyle and job' attraction of a bar in Spain!

You will find many 'bars for sale' over there - and whilst you will hear many a 'convincing' tale sas to why they are selling there are innumerable Brits who have lumbered themselves with a business they are desperate to find a sucker to take of their hands.

You would be well advised to take a long look at the market palce, identify the right sort of spot with the right sort of potential and avoid jumping in until you've convinced yourself it is going to work and earn a living for you.

Remember it is even worse than running pubs over here in the UK in mnay respects - most bars are oprn breakfast lunch and dinner through the day - 7 days a week - and typically until 1 to 2 am (later in some busy resort areas where the competition is so stiff you need to grab any coin you can from the punters to stay afloat - no matter how late)

If you are fairly independently wealthy, and you like the idea of a 'hobby bar' that you can open a few hours a day and/or you can afford to employ good staff (HARD to find mind you - although if you 'get in' with the locals you'd be best getting some good Sapnish assistance in the bar and kitchen)...And you can be asked to deal with Spanish bureaucracy...AND you can 'Habla Espanol' (VERY important - don't be told otherwise!)...

Then go for it, and good luck!

http://www.businessforsalespain.com/buying_a_bar_in_spain.asp

http://www.barinthesun.com/ (see info pack download)

http://www.escapeartist.com/efam/70/Owning_A_Business_In_Spain.html

Answer 4

Try the SBA, and see what ideas they can put together for you. Spain is great for ownership rights, they generally uphold their law when there are disputes.

Contact a business brokerage here in the US first, they will hav connection to brokerages abroad. Try Sun Belt, I think they are out of Cleveland. However they have offices nationwide, and should be able to get some listings in Spain.

Good Luck!
Great Idea!

PS> If Spain doesn't work for you...think Panama, the Real Estate there is the next "Miami". So even if you bar flops, you'll still be able to get a pretty penny out of the property.

Answer 5

I would'nt bother, I see bars struggling to get punters in through the doors all along the Costa's, if you ahve the money, go somewhere like Thailand where you have a fighting chance of making a bar business work, here, its very difficult competing against the spanish bars and the one who's answered the question with a statement about bars not opening until after lunch is way off beat! They all open all over Spain from about 8.30-9am ish, they get busy at about 10 ish as morning coffe breaks start, through til about 11.30, then after 1.30pm they are very busy with lunch as that starts anywhere from 1.30 onwards and can last several hours as most offices and businesses re-open at 4.30=5pm ish until 7 ish....thats the normal worling day, the bar then gets busier again through til midnight, most areas have by lawas about noise and most places close at midnight otherwise they can attract attention from the Guardia Civil....not a good idea!

Answer 6

After many years of staying in Spain I would not advise any one to run a bar there,every time I go back all the bars seem to have changed hands except the Spanish bars.Try a Fish and Chip shop !!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

Taxes and regulations are going to kill you in Spain. Go to somewhere tropical and open a year round beach bar. Most of the success stories from people venturing into that type of work come from people who have opened bars in tropical areas with low taxes.

Answer 8

the above person who said that bars are open from breakfast to 2 is wrong. thats not very typical bar hours at all. in salamanca, spain, most bars dont open till after lunch, but stay open until the early or even late morning. remember the spanish are party animals and they will keep you up late.

Answer 9

And where do you live now? You didn't say that.
Try this sites:
http://www.spainexpat.com/
http://www.justspain.org/spain/moving_to_spain.asp

Or just put down in Google search: moving to Spain
You'll get a ton of pages.
Good luck with your moving and business there.

Answer 10

hi cant give you any professional advice but personally i would look into it for the kids and go ... if you dont youll only regrett not trying it out ... if it doesnt work come home !