This thread will probably die a quick death - so be it.

But...

A friend from London is looking for premises to set up a tea room in Sheffield (shes moving from London up here) As I live in Sheffield, I went to have a look for her at various shops/premises, that would be suitable, near or in the city centre.

I found one in a place called Chapel Walk, a pleasant sort of lane of small specialist shops. One was available - had been a small french deli now closed - just big enough for a tea room with about 4-6 tables roughly. Not much in the way of premises at all sizewise.

Phoned the agent...they expect offers over £45,000 a year for rent. £45,000 near the middle of Sheffield! J***s!

Later phoned a couple of others on the outskirts and rents were similar - £30-35,000 - not as high. This was for small shop premises though. the type where a queue of three is a crowd.

Is it me or is that ridiculous? On Friday I was in Lincoln (city centre) on business. There's a really nice touristy type area there called Steep Hill (or SteepHill). Very tasty area, ideal for a teashop and tourists. There were about three shops available, so I called and asked what the rents were like - £10,000 a year with premises above. That was more like it.

If you run a business, £45,000 seems a phenomenal amount to me - how on earth would you make a profit? Obviously you can't as the previous Chapel Walk business had not survived.

thats sheffield for you i am afraid .. if i was to make this kind of business i would look to a place in the peak district in 1 of the villages or possibly onto the coast somewere... the only food places that do well here is greasy butty shops and curry houses ... not that i dont like a good curry . :)

i saw a new kiosk that had £17,000 rent.. not sure if that was 1 year or 3.. but seemed steep

No reason at all for the thread to die a quick death....

I'd question whether Sheffield city centre is the best place for a tea-room - to be frank I can't see the market.

As has been suggested - one of the Peak District villages might be a better idea provided that they can again deal with the competition and the seasonal nature of the business.

Best of luck.

sheffield has always taken the p*** im affaid with high rents it's called a labour council

What have business rents got to do with local councils? It's grasping landlords that are the problem.

Those city centre rents are silly prices but even in the suburbs we suffer from high rents which make running a small business more and more unviable when added to the business rates (which are set centrally and again nothing to do with the local council).

Add to that the fact that most leases are on a full insuring and reparing basis and you can see that all the landlords do for their money is sit back and collect the rent.

Sorry for the :rant: but this is a subject very close to home at the moment.

I agree with my friend that there is a need for a tearoom type thing in the city centre. There's too few places to get a drink.

But even the lower end of what I found - £30-40,000 - seems a joke to run any business on let alone a tearoom.

I genuinely can't think what you could sell and make a business profitable and survivable. Crack cocaine might be about all???

there are loads of places to get a drink & bite to eat if you want; including twenty two something or other which is just opposite the crucible - a veggie place I think. Then there's leonies & whadgamagig & not to mention the 2 competing starbucks etc

there are loads of places to get a drink & bite to eat if you want; including twenty two something or other which is just opposite the crucible - a veggie place I think. Then there's leonies & whadgamagig & not to mention the 2 competing starbucks etc

dont forget the tea rooms aross from high street, is it pollards or something similar. and there is a o'briens(if its still there) in chapel walk which has a few seats.

Hi,

The French Deli place that closed on Chapel Walk is actually pretty big, and has an upstairs heated verandah.......so the rent may not be that unreasonable for Sheff city centre. It isn't small by any standards - I think the OP may have misjudged this size.

However, if the OP PMs me, I do know of a spot that has premises suitable for a tea room, and maybe a proposition!

Ade

To go with a cuppa - Lynne's Pantry and Blue Moon both do great cakes! :love:

To go with a cuppa - Lynne's Pantry and Blue Moon both do great cakes! :love:


Thought Blue moon had closed now?:huh:

Thought Blue moon had closed now?:huh:

Its near the Cathedral - on the corner of St James' Row. Definitely wasn't closed earlier this week.

This is why I have worked from home for so long ..I'd love a studio but once youve sorted out the massive rent ..you then have the stupid rates on top of that ..:rolleyes:

Its near the Cathedral - on the corner of St James' Row. Definitely wasn't closed earlier this week.

Oh right - thought it was the one that was on Norfolf row

I'm putting together a business plan to open a business next year in the city centre and the rental costs may make or break my plan!
Does anyone know if there is a way around it?
I.e. grants for start up businesses to help pay the first years rent or something similar?

I'm putting together a business plan to open a business next year in the city centre and the rental costs may make or break my plan!
Does anyone know if there is a way around it?
I.e. grants for start up businesses to help pay the first years rent or something similar?

You need to contact Business Link 0800 073 7474; there may also be other funding available which would be determined by whether/not your proposal was seen to be a social enterprise, ie have some community benefits.

I'm putting together a business plan to open a business next year in the city centre and the rental costs may make or break my plan!
Does anyone know if there is a way around it?
I.e. grants for start up businesses to help pay the first years rent or something similar?


Try doing your cashflow forecasts using a realistic rent from the outset to see if it works. If you think you can do it then double the time period to profitability, your costs and initial profits are always different from those forecast. Belt and Braces!

Or join us in the suburbs (Abbeydale Road), still affordable and quite lot of investment going on towards the bottom of Carterknowle Road. One new fashion shop -'Eve' and two more opening in the next few months, one an established business relocating and one a new business.

To go with a cuppa - Lynne's Pantry and Blue Moon both do great cakes! :love:

Lynnes Pantry......is it still there? Used to go in there 20 years ago, when I was pregnant for their Quiche. Never tasted anything like it. Stopped going because of the pram, as it was either too crowded upstairs, and awkward to get downstairs. No prams now though so might just check it out.

Sorry OP, going off topic slightly. :(

Jayne

This thread will probably die a quick death - so be it.

Phoned the agent...they expect offers over £45,000 a year for rent. £45,000 near the middle of Sheffield! J***s!


.

They wont expect to get 45k if thats what they quote. Probably agree at 40k.

Sheffields rents are actually substantially lower than other cities of similar size. Market forces dictate the rents.

Your friend may find it hard to get a city centre lease anyway if its a start up company unless they have a solid financial base

Probaly quite true, but still £45,000?

Lincoln cathedral is where part of the Da Vinci Code - which has apparently boosted their tourims no end - was filmed, and just round the corner from there, shop rents (shops similar to the one in Chapel Walk) are only £10,000.

I can't get my head round that. Sheffield is not renowned for its tourism.

They wont expect to get 45k if thats what they quote. Probably agree at 40k.

Sheffields rents are actually substantially lower than other cities of similar size. Market forces dictate the rents.

Your friend may find it hard to get a city centre lease anyway if its a start up company unless they have a solid financial base

Chapel Walk is a busy thoroughfare right off Fargate - the finest retailing pitch in the centre. Rents wont be cheap there. I bet you'll find a similar retailing pitch in Lincoln is a similar level of rent. Busy touristy areas are not necessarily busy retail areas so retail rents are low.

... the only food places that do well here is greasy butty shops and curry houses ... not that i dont like a good curry . :)

Whoa there... that's quite a statement! I work in Sheffield in the food industry and I beg to differ. Our customers love all sorts of food...from curries to salads!

And although I'm big on espresso coffee, it continues to surprise me just how many people will go out & pay for a nice cup of tea. Especially in South Yorkshire ;)