business plan for restaurant uk

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How to write a restaurant business plan

A solid restaurant business plan is essential to any success that comes your way. The best ones identify, describe and analyse business opportunities while setting a blueprint. Here, we’ve put together a guide for how to write a restaurant business plan so life at your spot starts off on the right foot.  

What your restaurant business plan should cover

When it comes to how to write a restaurant business plan, the strongest ones always include all or most of the components described below. Charles Bililies , founder and CEO of Souvla , advises that first-time restaurateurs read plenty of different business plans for other restaurants, technology and retail companies to get a better sense of layout options, writing styles and clarity of concept. Put the sections that you feel would be most compelling to someone who’s never met you first: the “Management Team” section if you’re coming from high-profile establishments, for example. The goal is for the reader to keep turning the page.

Quick links Branded cover Table of contents Restaurant concept Sample menu Service Management team Design Target market Location Market overview Marketing and publicity Specialists and consultants Business structure Financials Useful resources

1. Branded cover

Include your logo (even if it’s not finalised), the date, and your name .

2. Table of contents

Having a table of contents helps you navigate the business plan to easily find what you need. Plus, a table of contents looks more professional and improves readability, which is especially important if potential lenders want to see your business plan before offering any form of finance.

3. Restaurant concept

Describe your restaurant concept and get the reader excited about your idea. Go into detail about the food you’ll be serving, inspiration behind your concept and an overview of service style. Define clearly what will be unique about your restaurant.

4. Sample restaurant menu

The menu is the most important touchpoint of any restaurant’s brand , so this should be more than just a simple list of items. Incorporate your logo and mock up a formatted menu design (tap a designer for help if needed).

Your sample menu should also include prices based on a detailed cost analysis. This will give investors:

• A clear understanding of your targeted price point
• Provide the first building block to figuring out average bill estimations needed to create financial projections
• Show investors that you’ve done the homework needed to be confident that you’ll be able to sell these items at these prices and operate within your budget.

This section is most relevant for:

• Fine-dining concepts
• Concepts that have a unique service style
• If you have particularly strong feelings about what role service will play in your restaurant.

It can be a powerful way of conveying your approach to hospitality to investors by explaining the details of the guest’s service experience.

Will your restaurant have counter service designed to get guests on their way as quickly as possible, or will it look more like theatre, with captains putting plates in front of guests simultaneously? If an extensive wine program is an integral part of what you’re doing, will you have a sommelier? If you don’t feel that service is a noteworthy component of your operation, address it briefly in the concept section.

6. Management team

Write a brief overview of yourself and the team you have established so far. You want to demonstrate that the work experience you’ve acquired over the course of your career has provided you with the necessary skills to run a successful restaurant.

Ideally, once you have described the strong suit of every member of your team, you’ll be presenting a full deck. Most independent restaurant investors are in this for more than just money, so giving some indication of what you value and who you are outside of work may also be helpful.

Incorporate some visuals. Create a mood board that shows images related to the design and feeling of your restaurant. Planning on cooking in a wood-burning oven? Include that. Photos of materials and snippets of other restaurants that you love that are similar to the brand you’re building are also helpful.

8. Restaurant target market

Who is going to eat at your restaurant? What do they do for a living, how old are they, and what’s their average income? Perform a target market analysis to better understand your customers. Once you’ve described them in detail, reiterate why your specific concept will be appealing to them.

9. Restaurant location

There should be a natural and very clear connection between the information you present in the ‘Target Market’ section and this one. You probably won’t have a specific site identified at this point in the process, but you should talk about viable neighbourhoods . Don’t assume that potential investors will be familiar with the areas you’re discussing and who works or lives there — make the connections clear. You want readers to be confident that your restaurant’s ‘ideal’ diner intersects with the neighbourhood(s) you’re proposing as often as possible.

If you don’t have a site, this is a good place to discuss what you’re looking for in terms of square footage, foot traffic, parking, road accessibility and other important details.

10. Competitive market overview

Address the micro and macro market conditions in your area. At a macro level, what are the local and regional economic conditions? If restaurants are doing poorly, explain why yours won’t; if restaurants are doing well, explain how you’ll be able to compete in an already booming restaurant climate. At a micro level, discuss your direct competitors. Talk about what restaurants share your target market and how you’ll differentiate yourself.

11. Marketing and publicity

The restaurant landscape is only getting more competitive, so you need a watertight restaurant marketing strategy to get ahead. Talk about your pre- and post-opening marketing plan to show investors how you will gain traction leading up to opening day, as well as how you’ll keep the momentum going. If you’re going to retain a PR/marketing company, introduce them and explain why you’ve chosen them over other companies (including some of their best-known clients helps). If not, convey that you have a solid plan in place to generate attention on your own through social media , your website , and media connections. To help you get started be sure to check out our zero budget marketing checklist .

12. Specialists and consultants

List any outside contractors you plan to retain, such as:

• Main Contractor
• PR & Marketing

Briefly explain the services they’ll be providing for you and why you chose them, along with any notable accomplishments.

13. Restaurant business structure

This section should be short and sweet. What type of business structure have you set up and why did you make that specific decision? You will need to work with a lawyer to help you determine what business structure is best for you.

“ Step one : write a restaurant business plan. Step two : hire a good lawyer. In addition to helping me build a smart, sustainable business structure, my lawyer was also a great resource for reviewing my business plan because she’s read thousands of them. She was a very helpful, experienced outside perspective for more than just legal matters”, Charles Bililies explains.

14. Financials

Let your accountant guide you through this portion of your business plan. It is crucial that whoever you retain to help you with your finances has a wealth of restaurant experience (not just one or two places), as they should be familiar with the specifics of restaurant finances and know what questions to ask you.

Before creating realistic financial projections, your accountant will want to know approximately how many seats you’re planning on having, what your average bill will be, and how many covers you expect per day. Being conservative in these estimations is key as these three data points will be used as the basis for figuring out whether your concept is financially feasible.

Lou Guerrero, Principal at Kross, Baumgarten, Kniss & Guerrero, emphasises that, “You’ll get a lot of accountants that tell you that they’ve done a couple of restaurants, but you have to choose someone that has a deep expertise in what you’re doing. There’s nothing to gain from going with someone that doesn’t have a very restaurant-centric practice.”

A well-vetted accountant with restaurant experience will know exactly what you’ll need to have prepared to show investors. The key projections you can expect to work on are:

• Pro forma profit and loss statement for the first three to five years of operation
• Break even analysis
• Capital requirements budget

Useful tools to build a restaurant business plan in the UK:

If design is not your forte, consider using a free online template. There are plenty of templates available on the web that can aid in this process. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or need help getting started, there are some great options to start from:

• Canva :  Bring your descriptions and its templates will help you do the rest. Canva hosts a library of thousands of free templates to choose from.
• Prince’s Trust free templates:   a collection of free tools and templates to help you build your first business plan
• VistaCreate: The plug-and-play menu design templates are easy to use, and the platform has the option for print and delivery.

Check our more restaurant resources

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How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan

A comprehensive business plan is the foundation of every successful restaurant. You need a business plan before you can begin to execute on anything having to do with opening your establishment. A proper business plan is a guide that will help take your idea from concept to reality.

When you begin to seek professional and financial support for your new business, your business plan will be the primary document of reference to describe your concept, market, and potential for profitability. You need a business plan for investors, lenders, consultants, partners, and other team members who will help make your dream of opening a restaurant come true.

In this article, we’ll walk you through every part of how to write a restaurant business plan, explain the function of each section, and provide an example you can use as a starting point.

Before Writing Your Business Plan: Questions to Answer

Before you start writing your business plan, you’ll want to consider a few key things. Knowing the answers to these questions will make writing your business plan and communicating your vision a hundred times easier. Keep the answers to these questions top of mind as you’re writing your business plan.

Who is your business plan for?

Are you approaching investors and lenders, or is your plan specifically for you and your staff? You’ll need to adapt your writing for different audience types, and perhaps place emphasis on certain sections over others depending on your primary audience.

Where will your restaurant be located?

If you don’t yet have a location for your restaurant , you should at least know which neighbourhood your restaurant will be located in. Your restaurant’s location will determine important elements of your business plan, like your competitive analysis, ingredient availability, venue type, etc. If you’re in the early stages of planning, you likely don’t know your exact address, but nailing it as close as you can will guide you in your writing.

What is your venue type?

You should have a clear idea of what kind of restaurant you’re opening , whether it’s an intimate cafe, craft microbrewery, or gourmet food truck. If you aren’t quite sure, you’ll need to decide before you write your business plan. You should know exactly what your venue is going to be as you work through the details of a business plan.

What are your goals?

Do you want to start a food truck and then grow to open a sister restaurant, or do you want to open a full service restaurant and grow to operate a fleet of food trucks? Are you looking to open a burger place with a constant flow of customers? Or maybe you want to be the go-to place for special occasions. Be as specific as you can in your vision, and be clear on exactly what you want to achieve.

What are your credentials?

Have you worked in the restaurant industry before? How well do you know the market? Do you need any additional skills before you start your restaurant? If you’re confident you have the skills, feel free to start. But if you’ve never spent any time in a kitchen or in the foodservice industry, you may want to get some hands-on experience so you know what you’re getting into.

5 Tips on How to Write a Restaurant Business Plan

Before you start writing your business plan, here are some tips to make the process easier.

• Collect materials that are relevant, like links, articles, quotes and information that may benefit you as you are writing, and use them for inspiration or include them within the appropriate sections of your business plan.
• Taking something from concept to creation can be challenging, but try to put everything you see in your imagination down in the most accurate words possible. Go through the business plan template the first time and make tons of notes for each section, then come back to it later and flesh out your ideas further.
• If a section stumps you, make a note and move on, then revisit it later when you have more information or more clarity. Refine and rework. Be sure to add all new developments that are happening, and when you’re confident you’ve said all you can about a section, go back in and edit and re-word until you’re satisfied.
• Use graphics and images to clarify your message when you feel it’s necessary. Consider creating Pinterest boards to keep you inspired and help you get visual. Then, when you are writing your business plan, go back to your boards to pull in graphics that get your idea across better than words.
• Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, know that your business plan will take time. It can take anywhere from weeks to months to years to get a solid grasp on what it is you’re creating. As time passes and you continue to work on it, you’ll fine-tune your message and have a crystal clear plan on your hands.

Are you confident in your vision, clear on your goals, and comfortable with your skills? Ready to jump in?

Restaurant Business Plan Template

Table of Contents

Your restaurant business plan is going to be a long document. Depending on the nature of your restaurant, your business plan could be anywhere from 10 to 50 pages – so your readers will need to find sections easily. This is where a table of contents comes in. It’ll look something like this:

• Executive Summary – p. 3
• Business Overview – p. 5
• Business Description – p. 7
• The Marketplace – p. 12
• Marketing – p. 20
• Business Operations – p. 25
• Financials – p. 30
• Business Plan Summary p. 37

After you’re finished writing your restaurant business plan, make sure to review your table of contents so that your page numbers are accurate.

Executive Summary While the Executive Summary may live at the beginning of your business plan, it’s the last thing you’ll write. The Executive Summary is a one-page summary of every section in your business plan, so that readers can get a general sense of your entire plan in one page. Remember to keep this section brief yet impactful.

Business Overview

Your Business Overview is simple: it’s a list of basic information about your business, such as your legal name, type of business, business number, etc. You may have some empty fields until you’re closer to actually opening. This list is for quick reference and especially important if you’ll be seeking bank loans or approaching investors:

• Legal name of business
• Trade name of business (doing business as)
• Business address or potential business address
• Current mailing address
• Phone number
• Social media handles
• Structure of business
• Date business was established
• Nature of business
• Banking details (branch and banker’s name)

Quick tip: many of the details in your business overview will be filled out as your business takes shape. fill in what you can as you go. if some of this information is unknown, don’t let it hold you up.

Business Description

Your Business Description is where your restaurant comes to life. Here is where you’ll describe, in detail, what your business is going to look like, where it will be, and the kind of vibe it will have. Your Business Description answers all of the questions that relate to your vision and goals. Be as expansive as you want here – go into as much detail as possible, and don’t be afraid to use visuals! Here’s what to include in your Business Description.

Will your business be run as a sole trader, a partnership, or a company? Who is involved and what is their role? This can be a short paragraph.

Your restaurant concept is your idea . Take the time to describe why your business is special, and talk about what you’ll do differently as compared to other restaurants. Why should people choose your restaurant over another? What kind of experience will you be providing customers?

Mission statement

Your mission statement is one sentence that describes what your restaurant will achieve. Think of your end goal, the ultimate driving force behind your business. Your mission statement should be something that can be displayed on marketing materials, and it should express to people what your business is all about.

Short-term and long-term goals

Here you’ll want to mention any relevant personal goals, then list your short-term and long-term objectives. Think about where you’re going and what you hope to be doing in a couple of years. Your short-term goals describe your first year as a restaurant owner. Long-term goals are larger, like how you plan to scale your business and how you hope to grow. Be descriptive in this section, but also remember to remain realistic and within the scope of your projections in the financial section.

Menu and services

Include a sample menu, or menus, and discuss the details of each, such as times of day offered and the inspiration or rationale for each. If you’re going to offer catering, delivery, or any other services, mention those here. Describe anything else you’ll be selling, such as pre-packaged foods, canned or bottled drinks, or retail items such as t-shirts and hats.

You likely won’t have secured a location or negotiated a lease at this point, so instead mention the neighbourhoods you’re considering for your venue. Answer the following questions here: Which features of the neighbourhood will affect your business? What other businesses are located in the area? What kinds of people live, work, or visit the neighbourhood? Consider and document all effects that the location will have on your business, like access to parking, public transportation, walk score, etc.

Take the time to describe your concept with as much visual detail as you can. Express why these details are important (hint: they should relate back to your branding). If you’re working with a design agency or interior design specialist, mention them and show their proposals or mockups. Business description summary Finally, briefly sum up everything in this section. Your Business Description tends to be a long section, so you’ll need a summary that provides an overview of what you’re going to achieve with your business.

The Marketplace

This section is where you’ll describe the current status of the marketplace for your business. The most important thing to remember about this section is that you’ll need to remain honest and authentic. You won’t do yourself or anyone else any favours by painting an unrealistic picture of the marketplace and how your business fits within it. This section requires a lot of research and critical thinking skills.

Visit your direct competition and gain some intel on their customer experience and menu. Ask people in your prospective neighbourhood about how businesses perform in the area. By gathering as much information as you can, your marketplace assessment will be clear and rooted in reality.

Market segment

This section should provide a quick overview of the size of your customer base. What are the demographics, psychographics, and segments of your target market?

You need to know your target customers. Who will frequent your restaurant and what characteristics do they share? List statistics you’ve gathered about your market and any other relevant information about your potential customers. Make a note of any customer segments within your target demographic that have certain needs over others.

You’ll want quantitative and qualitative research to round out this section. Make sure to talk to people within your target market to gain a clear understanding of their needs and how you can serve them. You’ll also discover other valuable insights through these discussions.

Market trends

Here you’ll want to list relevant statistics about past and current trends within your marketplace. Include anything that relates to the demand for your business, social or economic factors, and trends that have affected similar businesses. If you’ve done research or hired a firm to conduct some for you, mention all the outcomes from that research here.

Competition

So you know other restaurants are your competition, but you’ll need to be specific. Analyse your prospective neighbourhood, and make a list of all your competitors from small to large. Use a critical eye to determine how they differ from your establishment. Categorise your competitors into “direct” and “indirect”. Your direct competitors are those restaurants that are offering similar customer experiences and type of cuisine, while indirect competitors may be different from your restaurant but still compete for your target market’s attention and spend.

Now that you’ve analysed the competition, you should be able to spot how you’ll be able to stand out. What will your restaurant do that no one else is doing? What are your differentiators that will cause the market to take notice of your business?

Opportunities

After you determine your differentiators, you’ll know how your restaurant can fill potential gaps in the marketplace or provide a better option for customers. From the menu to the hours, whatever your restaurant can do better, list it here.

Now, the other side of the coin: what your restaurant may not be able to do better than the competition. Take the time to list these as challenges, provide rationale as to why your restaurant will face these barriers, and how you’ll tackle them once you’re open. Don’t be afraid of honesty here; a candid account of the challenges you’ll face will show readers you’re self-aware and ready to overcome problems with practical solutions.

Marketplace summary

Briefly sum up everything that you’ve talked about in this section, reiterating the demographics of your target market, advantages, and opportunities.

You may be an amazing chef and create exceptional dishes, but without customers and sales, you don’t have much of a business. You need a marketing strategy to get people in the door and coming back. In this section on how to write a restaurant business plan, we’ll get into your strategy: how you’re going to price your meals, how you’ll position yourself to appeal to your target customers, and how you’ll promote your business to let customers know you exist.

Positioning

Describe how you’ll appeal to your target customers and where you will place yourself in the customer’s mind. Use your differentiators in the previous section to guide your positioning strategy. How will you communicate your differentiators to your market? What will you be offering the market that your customers wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else?

Describe your pricing and how it compares to similar businesses. Provide ballpark figures for different menu items and list standard pricing for your type of business. List your competitors’ prices and explain why yours will be higher or lower. Make sure to align this section with your financials so that your food and labour ratios are taken into account when crafting this section.

Online promotion

If you plan on creating and maintaining social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, explain how you’ll use them to promote your business. Describe your website’s main elements, design style, and who will build it. List all paid digital promotion here such as Google ads, paid social media ads, and any agencies you’ll work with to develop and execute on all digital marketing initiatives.

Traditional promotion

Will you be holding any events, releasing a press release, or taking out any print ads?

Marketing summary

Briefly summarise your overall marketing strategy and what you’ll concentrate on the most: digital, traditional, PR, etc. Let readers know why you think your marketing strategy will work for your type of restaurant.

Business Operations

You’ve described your vision, the market, and how you plan to promote your business. But how will you actually execute your plans? Who will operate your business day-to-day? Here’s where you get into the nitty-gritty details of your business operations.

Introduce everyone on your payroll. List their qualifications, special skills, and job description, with an emphasis on how they will help you reach your goals and the tasks they will do every day. Categorise each staff member into other owners, chefs, managers, servers, bartenders, etc.

Supplier relationships

List your suppliers by type: food, payment, alcohol, cleaning, etc. Note how each supplier serves your restaurant’s needs , and list their credit and payment terms. List all suppliers for the following:

• Waste removal
• Restaurant supplies like dishware and glass
• Paper products
• Payroll service
• Cleaning services
• Plants or landscaping
• Linen service
• Entertainment
• Marketing and advertising
• Technology, such as EPOS hardware and software, mobile delivery apps, loyalty apps, and an internet provider

Your restaurant will need insurance coverage . Do some research to determine mandatory insurance and special coverage, and start to compare costs between insurance providers. List each type of insurance your restaurant will need and what it covers.

What kind of licencing does your restaurant need? List all of the licences and permits required for your restaurant and staff here. Check your local government website for the details and anything else that you are required to obtain in your area.

Business operations summary

Briefly sum up everything that you’ve talked about in the Business Operations section.

You’ve now arrived at the most important – and the most daunting – part of your restaurant business plan. This is where you prove that your idea is actually a business that can turn a profit. Complete a financial forecast that takes your concept and translates it into numbers. This exercise is the most important part of your business plan, as investors and lenders will be scrutinising these numbers before they read anything else.

The Breakdown

Your forecast will be broken into four main parts:

• Revenue: Forecasted sales
• Controllable costs: Food and beverage costs as well as cost of labour
• Expenses: Marketing, rent, supplies, utilities, etc.
• Start-Up Costs: What it costs to get you to open, as well as things like capital improvements and training.

We’ve created a downloadable sample forecast that demonstrates what you’ll need to do. Our example is Joe’s Burgers, a small 1,000 square foot quick service restaurant with no alcoholic beverage sales. Once you understand the sample forecast, we’ve included a blank forecast sheet where you can add in your own numbers to project how profitable you’ll be. Notes about the forecast spreadsheet

• Take the blank forecast and “save as” so that if you make a mistake, you can return to the original spreadsheet and start again.
• There are formulas pre-programmed in the cells of the spreadsheet.
• If you are planning to open a restaurant that will serve alcoholic drinks, you will have to figure out your sales mix of the various types: bottled beer, draft beer, liquor, and wine, and the costs associated with each. For example, if your bottled beer cost is 28% and wine cost is 40%, you’ll have an average beverage cost of 34% to add to your forecast.
• If you are going to offer catering or other services, you can create another revenue stream that covers events executed, average spends, revenues, cost of goods sold and labour costs for that source.

Business Plan Summary

Your Business Plan Summary should tie the whole message together. Use this section to highlight how you’re different and what you’re offering, reiterating the most important points about your restaurant.

Sections to include are:

• Why you will succeed: in a few short sentences, repeat how you are different and why your business will work.
• What you need: if you’re asking for money, repeat the ask here.
• A thank you: a quick thanks at the end reminds people that you value their time and input.

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In this article

What is a Restaurant Business?

The restaurant industry in the UK is thriving, with an annual turnover of £40 billion. In 2022, there were more than 35,000 full-service restaurants and more than 100,000 total restaurants (including full-service restaurants, cafés, takeaways and mobile food businesses). People in the UK eat out at restaurants an average of three times per month, although these statistics do increase for people under the age of 30 and people living in big cities, such as London.

A restaurant is a business that prepares, cooks and serves food and drinks to customers, usually in a sit-down capacity on the premises. However, the term restaurant can also encapsulate businesses that offer takeaway services. Restaurants typically tend to focus on a particular type of food or cuisine, although many restaurants choose not to specialise and offer a variety of food options.

The most popular restaurant foods and cuisines in the UK are:

If you are thinking of starting up a restaurant business, you will first need to decide the type of restaurant you want to set up. You will also need to determine the type of food you want to sell.

There are multiple types of restaurants you could choose to set up:

Full service

Fine dining

This is a type of restaurant that offers its customers an upscaled, more luxurious experience with more lavish food options. These restaurants usually create a stylish and exclusive atmosphere with high-end tablecloths, cutlery and tableware and stylish décor. Many fine-dining restaurants feature waiters in black tie and may also have special features, such as a live pianist or a valet service. The food often comprises multiple courses with elaborate dishes that are not typically found in other restaurants.

Casual dining

This type of restaurant still involves table dining, but the food is likely to be more moderately priced. The menu and service are likely to be less extravagant, with a more comfortable and laid-back atmosphere. There will be no expected dress code and the service is usually faster, meaning that customers typically stay for a shorter time. The décor will likely reflect the type of food that is being served or the restaurant’s brand.

Fast casual

These restaurants still offer a sit-down service but feature food that is relatively quick to prepare. The menu is likely to be more limited and may only feature foods that can be pre-prepared or feature many of the same ingredients, such as pizzas or burgers. Fast casual dining often offers a counter service as well as or instead of ordering at the table. They may also offer a takeaway service. The food is usually more affordable than in casual dining establishments. Popular fast casual dining franchises in the UK are Nando’s and Pizza Express. However, there are also many independent casual dining restaurants in operation.

Also known as a quick service restaurant (QSR), this type of restaurant is specifically designed for takeaway food, whether from a drive-through window or an ordering counter. Many fast-food restaurants are made up of well-known chains and franchises (such as Mcdonald’s and Dominoes); however, there are also a lot of stand-alone QSRs in operation in the UK. Fast food is popular with consumers because of its convenience and (usually) lower prices.

Many people don’t consider cafés to be a type of restaurant, especially if they’re more beverage-focused. However, if the café prepares and sells food, either for eating in or taking away, it is technically considered a restaurant.

Pop-up restaurants

A pop-up restaurant is a temporary restaurant that operates in a temporary location for a specified amount of time. They often pop up in locations such as former factories or warehouses, in an outdoor location, at an event (such as a festival) or even in another restaurant’s kitchen. Pop-up restaurants usually attract customers because of the novelty factor and the unique experience of this type of dining.

Buffet restaurants

A buffet restaurant offers a wide selection of food that customers can help themselves to at a set price. Customers can return to the buffet area as many times as they want and eat as much food as they choose. Buffet restaurants usually focus on a specific type of food, such as Chinese food, Indian food or breakfast food.

The type of restaurant you choose to open will have a significant impact on the types of food and beverages you serve, your décor and aesthetic, your typical customer base, your costs and your price points. When deciding the type of restaurant business to set up, consider your location, your local competition and the demand. For example, a harbourfront location may choose to operate as a fine-dining seafood restaurant, whereas a restaurant located in a retail park may choose to operate as a fast-casual establishment. You should also consider your own skills and experience and the skills and experience of your chef.

There are many different responsibilities associated with running a restaurant business. These responsibilities can vary, depending on the type of restaurant you set up, the size of your restaurant, the number of employees you manage, your menu and how involved you are in the day-to-day running of your business.

Some of the typical responsibilities you can expect include:

• Sourcing and ordering stock and ingredients.
• Planning and preparing your menu and pricing your food and beverages.
• Purchasing, cleaning and maintaining equipment and machinery.
• Preparing, cooking and serving food and beverages.
• Implementing food safety and hygiene policies and ensuring they are followed by everyone in your restaurant.
• Ensuring the cleanliness of your restaurant, including the kitchen area and front of house.
• Complying with all legal guidelines and health and safety requirements.
• Speaking to customers, taking orders and handling payments and receipts.
• Serving customers and dealing with any requests.
• Handling customer collections and deliveries (if applicable).
• Managing staff.
• Marketing and advertising.
• Completing business and administrative tasks.

Although you do not need any formal qualifications to set up a restaurant business, you will need the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to plan your menu, implement food safety and hygiene policies and prepare and cook food. A high level of knowledge in the food industry and previous experience working in or managing a kitchen or restaurant is highly recommended. Strong interpersonal skills, a flair for business and a solid business plan can also be extremely beneficial. Starting up a restaurant business can be extremely rewarding, both personally and financially.

Types of Customers

Restaurants are frequented by people of all ages and demographics. However, multiple factors can influence the typical customers that visit your restaurant. Identifying your typical customer base can help you to plan your advertising and marketing strategies, focus your business and maximise your profits.

Some of the factors that can influence your typical customer base are:

The type of restaurant you set up

This is one of the most important factors in determining your typical customer base. A fine-dining restaurant is likely to attract different patrons than a fast-food restaurant or a café. Consider the type of restaurant you are opening and the typical customers who usually frequent this type of restaurant to help you determine your typical customer base and how best to appeal to them.

Your menu is the first thing potential customers usually look at when choosing a restaurant. This could be the menu that is outside of your restaurant or an online menu. Customers will typically look at the types of food and beverages you sell and any special or dietary menus, such as the vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free menus or your children’s menu.

Your location

This will be another key determiner of your typical customer base. Although some people are willing to travel further for a restaurant, your customers will typically live within driving or taxi distance. For casual dining, fast food and cafés, customers typically choose a restaurant that is conveniently located near their home, place of work or study or an area they are visiting (such as a shopping area or a beach). Fine-dining restaurants tend to attract customers from further away, who travel specifically to visit the restaurant.

It is also important to consider whether your restaurant is located in an area with high footfall or that is typically frequented by certain types of people. For example, being located close to a popular tourist area, your typical customer base may be made up primarily of tourists and you may be unlikely to receive repeat customers. On the other hand, if you are located in a central business district, you may attract workers at the end of the working day and lunchtime business meetings.

Your business brand and aesthetic

Your brand and aesthetic are key factors in the types of customers you are likely to attract. Consider the style and design of your restaurant, including your décor, accessories, table settings and tableware. You should also consider the name of your restaurant and your restaurant front, including your sign and window display.

Your pricing strategy

Your price points will be a key determiner of your customer base. Restaurant patrons can typically be separated into three pricing categories:

• Budget: This type of customer is looking for the lowest-priced food and is usually happier with a more limited menu and more basic service (e.g. counter service). Price will be a major factor when choosing a restaurant.
• Mid-range: Mid-range customers are looking for a combination of quality and affordability. Although they don’t want to pay premium prices, they don’t look for the cheapest option and instead look for a less limited menu and quality service at a reasonable price.
• Luxury: This type of customer wants the highest quality, best-tasting food and drink with a luxury experience and is willing to pay higher prices. These customers will look at your menu, the aesthetic and style of your restaurant and your reputation, rather than your prices.

Equipment You Will Need

The type of equipment you require will depend on the type of restaurant business you set up, your menu and the size of your business. Choosing the right equipment is essential, as without it you will not be able to operate your business. Before purchasing your equipment, it may be beneficial to plan your menu, as certain types of meals may require specific equipment.

Although your equipment requirements can vary, below is a list of the equipment typically required by a restaurant business.

Kitchen Equipment

Stock and ingredients

This is an important ongoing purchase that can take up a larger percentage of your business’s running costs. Before ordering food stock and ingredients, you will first need to plan your menu. Try to include common ingredients in multiple dishes to reduce your food waste and create an ongoing ingredient inventory that makes it easier for you to create a stock order.

An industrial fridge and freezer

A fridge and freezer are essential in your restaurant. You will need to store any perishables and fresh stock or ingredients in your fridge or freezer. Consider how much you will need to store when considering what size you will need (many restaurant businesses opt for a walk-in fridge and freezer). Ensure both the fridge and freezer are set to the correct temperature.

Industrial ovens

Depending on the size of your kitchen and the number of patrons your business is able to serve at one time, you may require multiple ovens.

The type of ovens you need will depend on the food you are making. Some popular choices are:

• A commercial oven.
• A convection oven.
• A pizza oven.
• A combination oven.
• A steam oven.
• A fan oven.

Some ovens run on electricity and others run on gas. Consider what is favourable to you when purchasing your ovens.

A commercial range

This is an essential piece of cooking equipment that often includes an oven and hobs. A range can be used for many different types of cooking, including boiling, frying, stewing, baking and roasting. A commercial range is made from industrial materials and is built to be strong and long-lasting. They can handle heavy equipment and typically have a shorter cooking time, perfect for preparing high volumes of food or quick orders. You could opt for a stand-alone or inbuilt range. Depending on how many hobs your range comes with, you may also need to install an additional hob system. You can choose from a gas range or an electric range.

Some food items are cooked on a grill rather than an oven, for example, burgers, steaks, pancakes and grilled sandwiches. You could choose a grill that is inbuilt with your oven or range or opt for a stand-alone grill.

Deep fat fryer

A deep-fat fryer is used for cooking items such as chips, fried chicken, battered fish, churros and doughnuts. Consider your menu when deciding whether your restaurant requires a deep-fat fryer.

Many restaurants don’t cook everything from scratch and may pre-make some items or order some items already made. Microwaves can also be useful to steam cook, reheat, pre-cook or defrost any food or stock.

An ice maker

An ice machine is a necessity as it allows you to make a large amount of ice at one time. You will need ice to go in your customers’ drinks and to fill ice buckets and wine buckets.

An industrial dishwasher

A dishwasher is a necessity, not only because it will help you to save time in the kitchen and reduce your kitchen duties, but also because it will demonstrate the hygiene standards and cleanliness of your restaurant. Choose an industrial-sized dishwasher to allow you to clean more dishes at the same time, helping your kitchen to run more efficiently.

Stainless steel worktops or worktables

You will use the worktops for all your food preparation tasks. Your worktables should be stainless steel as this material is non-porous, meaning it is resistant to most bacteria and germs. It is also easier to clean and will help you to maintain high standards of hygiene.

Ventilation

A restaurant kitchen requires more complex ventilation, as kitchens are commonly filled with smoke, steam, odours, high heat and potentially harmful gases.

Some ventilation you could install includes:

• Ventilation hoods.
• Exhaust fans.
• Makeup air systems.
• Fire suppression systems.

Depending on what you cook in your kitchen, there are several different pots and pans and other cookware you may require, including:

• Frying pans.
• Grill pans.
• Sauté pans.
• Baking trays.
• Roasting pans.

If you offer baked products on your menu, such as pizzas, sandwiches and cakes, you will need to purchase bakeware. This is the type of equipment you will use to bake your products. Investing in quality bakeware is recommended as it will likely be heavily used and can be susceptible to dents and warping.

Some pieces of bakeware you may need to purchase include:

• Bread pans.
• Muffin tins.

A dough proofer

Dough is used in a variety of baked goods, including bread, pastries, pizzas and certain desserts. If your restaurant uses any dough, you will need a dough proofer. A dough proofer can help to simplify the dough-rising process, helping you to ensure your products are uniform in shape and size, and that the production process is streamlined.

A dough sheeter

This is a piece of industrial baking equipment that is used to make dough in large quantities at a much quicker rate. It rolls out pieces of dough to the desired thickness, whilst ensuring the dough is smooth and uniform. A dough sheeter is typically found in restaurants that make products such as pies, pastries and pizzas.

A heavy-duty food processor

A food processor can help to reduce prep time and your labour costs. They can be used for a variety of tasks, including pureeing soup, grinding meat and kneading dough. A food processor can shred, knead, dice and grind and combine ingredients into the required mixture using a multipurpose blade that rotates at a high speed.

A mixer is used to combine ingredients in preparation for cooking or baking and is utilised for tasks such as stirring, whisking and beating. They are particularly popular for mixing the batter for cakes and cookies and for creating dough. You could opt for an industrial mixer, as they are more durable and more reliable. When deciding the type of mixers that are best for your business, consider the size and capacity of the mixer, the power and the type of mixing they are capable of (for example, mixing, kneading, blending and whipping).

The most common mixers are:

• Planetary mixers.
• Horizontal mixers.
• Spiral mixers.

Sheet pan racks

If you are cooking or baking a large amount of food at one time, a sheet pan rack allows you to cool large amounts of products at the same time. You could also choose a tiered rack, allowing you to conserve space, and a rack that is on wheels, enabling you to transport your products around your kitchen more easily.

Storage racks and shelving

Shelving creates a safe and organised area for storing non-perishable ingredients (such as bread, seasoning and dried pasta), as well as equipment, accessories and utensils. Shelves also allow you to maximise the space in your kitchen. You will need enough shelving to keep stock separate and keep your kitchen well-organised.

Kitchen accessories

Some kitchen accessories you may require include:

• Colour-coded chopping boards.
• Kitchen knives and a sharpening stone.
• Mixing bowls.
• Food processors, mixers and blenders.
• Temperature gauges.
• A strainer and colander.
• Weighing scales, measuring cups and a measuring jug.
• Oven gloves.
• Baking paper, greaseproof paper and aluminium foil.

Cooking utensils

Some cooking utensils you could require are:.

• Stirring spoons.
• Peelers and graters.
• Tin openers.

Storage containers

Storage containers can be used for safely storing any opened stock, to prevent spoilage or contamination. You can also use the containers to store any cooked or pre-prepared food, such as salads, to keep them fresh for longer. Ensure your storage containers are strong and airtight.

Some storage containers you could opt for include:

• Food storage containers in different shapes and sizes.
• Dough containers.
• Kitchen canisters.
• Large ingredient bins (for storing larger amounts of dry ingredients).
• Vegetable crispers (to keep your fruits and vegetables fresh and crisp).

Date labels

These are necessary to label when ingredients were opened and when certain items were cooked. It ensures that all stock, ingredients and food products are completely safe to use and that your kitchen is operating in line with food safety and hygiene guidelines.

Equipment sink

This sink should be used specifically for cleaning, disinfecting or drying food equipment and utensils and should not be used for handwashing. You must ensure the sink has both hot and cold running water. Depending on how big your restaurant’s kitchen is, you may require two sinks for equipment.

Handwashing sinks

You will need separate handwashing facilities and cannot use the same sink for handwashing and food preparation or equipment. This sink must be exclusively used for handwashing. A handwashing sink helps to encourage good hygiene practices in your business.

A Kitchen Display System (KDS)

This is a digital screen that is used instead of handwritten or printed orders. A KDS manages your orders and helps you to prioritise, edit and track your orders. It creates a more streamlined ordering system by ensuring that your kitchen gets orders in real time. It can help your restaurant to be more organised and efficient and reduces the risk of human error.

Rubbish bins and a waste disposal system

You will need rubbish bins in all food preparation areas. You will also need different bins for different items to ensure you are disposing of rubbish correctly and following recycling guidelines. Colour-coded bins are the easiest way to ensure your waste disposal system is operating correctly.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE is a necessary purchase for all food businesses, as it helps to protect your food from contamination. PPE can also protect you and your staff from harm (e.g. when using sharp instruments or hot equipment. Some PPE you may require includes hairnets, gloves, oven mitts, anti-slip footwear and aprons.

Cleaning equipment

Keeping all areas of your restaurant clean is imperative. Food preparation, cooking and storage areas are particular areas that should be cleaned regularly throughout the day, to avoid cross-contamination and the breeding of bacteria. You will likely need different cleaning materials for different parts of your restaurant. You may need to invest in cloths, sponges, antibacterial surface cleaners, bleach, sanitiser, dishwashing soap and a sweeping brush and mop.

Safety equipment

Some of the safety equipment your business may require includes:

• Fire extinguishers.
• Rubber floor mats.
• Wet floor signs.
• First aid kits.

Front-of-house Equipment

Tables and seating areas

Unless you operate a fast-food restaurant, you will need tables and chairs for your customers to enjoy their meals. You may opt for different-sized tables to suit different party numbers. Choose tables and chairs that fit the design and aesthetic of your business and reflect your restaurant’s brand. If your restaurant is child-friendly, you will also need high chairs for babies and toddlers.

Serving ware

You will need specific dishes for serving specific foods. For example:

• Different shaped and sized bowls, e.g. soup bowls, finger bowls and ramekins.
• Different-sized plates, e.g. for appetisers and mains and side plates.
• Serving plates and bowls.
• A variety of wine glasses.
• A variety of cocktail glasses.
• Other glass types, e.g. different-sized tumblers.
• A variety of cups and mugs, e.g. for tea, cappuccinos and lattes.
• Flatware, e.g. forks, knives, spoons and serving utensils in different sizes.
• Dinnerware accessories, e.g. bread baskets, butter plates, plate covers, dessert dishes and sauce holders.
• Linens e.g. reusable napkins and tablecloths.

You will need to purchase enough serving ware to stock your entire restaurant and additional items to account for damage and breakages. When purchasing serving ware, you should consider the number of seats in your restaurant, your estimated table turnover rate and the types of dishes you are serving.

Restaurant décor and accessories

Consider your restaurant’s brand when choosing your décor and accessories. Do you want your restaurant to be upmarket and elegant or welcoming and cosy? Do you want to choose a specific theme or design, e.g. botanical or rustic? There are many different accessories you can use to design your restaurant, including plants, flowers, pictures, candles, artwork and lights.

A Point of Sale (POS) system

This will be a key feature of your restaurant’s operations and will help you to keep track of orders and transactions. Choose a POS system that is easy to use, customisable, can be used offline and is mobile. This allows customers to make card payments at their table.

Tea and coffee making facilities

Many customers enjoy tea or coffee after their meal. Some of the equipment you may require includes:

• Coffee machines.
• A coffee bean grinder.
• Flavoured syrups.
• A milk frother.
• Tea strainers and tea baskets.
• Milk jugs and sugar dispensers.

Menus and menu holders

You will likely need a large menu outside your restaurant that is weatherproof and smaller menus for each patron of your restaurant. Your menus should be attractive to potential customers and designed to fit in with the aesthetic of your business.

Ensure your menus include:

• The name and an appropriate description of each dish.
• Any allergen information.
• The pricing of each dish or item.
• Additional information, such as vegetarian or vegan.

A CCTV system

A CCTV system is necessary for protecting your restaurant from theft and burglaries. It can also help to protect you in the event of a threatening customer or an allegation against your business. A CCTV system can cost between £300 and £5,000 depending on the specification of the equipment, how many cameras you require, and the installation costs.

Your customers will expect you to provide Wi-Fi. Because multiple devices will be connecting at one time, you will need a Wi-Fi system that is reliable, fast and can handle a higher capacity. Depending on the size of your restaurant, you may require multiple routers or Wi-Fi boosters.

A music system

Unless you hire a live musician, restaurants generally play music as background noise. You may require a music player and multiple speakers, depending on the size of your restaurant.

Typical Costs

When you are setting up your restaurant, an important consideration you will need to make is the approximate costs associated with starting up and running this type of business. Calculating your typical costs allows you to estimate your initial investment requirements, any monthly and annual costs, your pricing strategy, your profit goals and your acceptable profit margins.

There are multiple costs associated with setting up and running a restaurant. Some of these costs will be one-off initial costs that you will need to pay when you are setting up your business. Other costs will be ongoing costs you will need to pay regularly – usually weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually.

Although typical costs can vary, depending on the type of restaurant business you set up and the size of your business, the typical costs you can expect to be responsible for include:

Your restaurant premises

Your business location will likely be your biggest expenditure. You will need to rent your premises on a monthly or annual basis. Rental prices can vary significantly, depending on the location and the size of the premises. City centre locations and locations close to a point of interest usually have the highest rental costs. Rental costs are often calculated per square metre. They can range significantly, from £500 to £15,000 per square metre annually. Your rental cost may be higher if you are renting an already established, refurbished or equipped restaurant.

Refurbishment and installation costs

Unless your premises previously operated as a restaurant or another similar food business, you will likely need to refurbish or convert your venue to install the equipment and furniture you need for your business and make the area fit for purpose. You will also want to refurbish and decorate your premises to fit the aesthetic of your business and make it attractive to customers. If your premises doesn’t have an established kitchen, you will need to set one up, which may include installing the necessary water, electricity and gas lines. Renovation costs can vary, from £5,000 to £50,000 depending on the level and scale of work required. As part of your renovation costs, consider how you can make your restaurant attractive and easy to clean and ensure it is safe and in line with health and safety regulations.

Your equipment is an important purchase, as without it you will not be able to run your restaurant. The cost of equipment can vary based on how large your restaurant is and the type of equipment you require. The bigger your premises and the more customers you want to accommodate at one time, the more equipment you will require. You may choose to purchase less equipment initially and expand your equipment as your business grows. Equipment for your restaurant business can cost between £10,000 and £100,000.

This is an ongoing cost you will need to factor into your budget and will be a major monthly expenditure. Much of your stock and ingredients will be perishables, such as fresh meat, seafood, dairy, fruits and vegetables. These ingredients will need to be purchased regularly and you may need to take deliveries several times a week (or daily). Other dry, non-perishable ingredients, such as flour and dried rice and pasta, can be ordered in bulk. You can reduce the cost of your stock by buying wholesale, buying in bulk and shopping around. To maximise your profits, your food stock cost should be no more than 30% of your food sale price. The higher the return, the higher your profits will be. Some stock will be more expensive, for example meat and seafood, but this can be reflected in your menu pricing.

Maintaining, repairing and replacing equipment

Repairs, maintenance and replacements are ongoing costs you will need to factor into your budget. Although some of your equipment and machinery will come with warranties, repairs and replacements are inevitable – particularly because you will be using the equipment continuously. Correctly cleaning and maintaining equipment and ensuring it is used correctly can extend its life, but potential repairs and replacements should still be factored into your budget.

Licensing fees

There are a number of different licences you will need to apply for when setting up and running your business. These can include a Premises Licence, a Food Premises Licence and a Personal Licence to Sell Alcohol. Licence costs can vary depending on your local council but you can expect to pay between £100 and £1,000 in licensing fees.

Running costs

These are the day-to-day costs associated with running your business. Some running costs are paid monthly, and others are paid quarterly or annually. Your running costs can include electricity, gas, water, council tax and insurance. To maximise your profits, try to keep your running costs as low as possible.

You will need to hire staff such as chefs and other kitchen staff, front-of-house staff and cleaners. You will need to pay any staff you employ at least the national minimum wage of £9.50 per hour and account for other expenses such as holiday pay, sick pay, maternity/paternity pay, National Insurance and any company pension contributions.

When creating your brand identity, consider how you want your restaurant to be perceived by potential customers. When creating your brand, consider the type of restaurant business you are setting up (e.g. fine dining or casual dining), your menu and your typical customer base. Branding can include creating your business’s visual identity, design and aesthetic, your business name and logo, your signage and your website. You could hire a professional to help you with branding or do some or all of the work yourself. Branding can cost between £500 and £10,000, depending on the level of work required.

Advertising and marketing

To ensure your restaurant attracts customers and creates maximum profits, you will need to spend money on advertising and marketing. It is recommended that you spend between 1%-3% of your annual turnover on marketing. For example, if your annual turnover (or your desired annual turnover) is £200,000, you should spend between £2,000 and £6,000 on advertising and marketing. You may need to invest more money when you initially set up your business or when you are trying to grow your business. To reduce your costs, capitalise on free marketing strategies, such as on social media or in your local community. Once your business is established, you should be able to reduce your advertising costs.

You and your employees will need to obtain food hygiene training before you open your business. You will also need to refresh your training regularly (at least every three years). You may also opt to undertake other training courses, such as manual handling, first aid and electrical safety. You can expect to pay approximately £20 + VAT per training course per person.

Business insurance

There are multiple coverage options available for a restaurant business. Some coverage is optional, whereas others are mandatory.

Your coverage options include:

• Public Liability Insurance.
• Employers’ Liability Insurance.
• Product Liability Insurance.
• Building and Contents Cover.
• Business Interruption.
• Liquor Liability Insurance.
• Equipment Cover.
• Food Contamination Insurance.

Prices can vary depending on your insurance provider and the level of coverage you choose. Prices typically start at £20 per month.

Typical Pricing for Customers

Once you have calculated the typical costs associated with setting up and running a restaurant business, you can then price your menu. Each item on your menu will be priced differently.

There are multiple factors that will influence your pricing, including:

• The type of restaurant business you set up.
• The type of food you serve.
• The cost of your food stock and ingredients.
• The complexity of each meal and how long it will take you to prepare and cook.
• Your location.
• Your restaurant’s design and aesthetic, including your furnishings and décor.
• The number of employees you hire.
• The pricing of other similar restaurants in your area.

Safely Running a Restaurant Business

Safe practices in your restaurant can help to protect the health, safety and well-being of you, your staff and your customers.

Some ways you can safely run your restaurant business include:

Ensure proper ventilation

To reduce exposure to smoke, steam, high heat and harmful gases, you will need to install a proper ventilation system.

A ventilation system can:

• Improve your indoor air quality.
• Reduce the temperature of your kitchen.
• Reduce odours.
• Remove grease from the air, your surfaces and equipment.
• Reduce your energy bills.

Your ventilation system will likely also include fire suppression equipment, which can help reduce the likelihood of a fire occurring in your kitchen.

Ensure you have safety equipment

Safety equipment is a necessity to help your restaurant run more safely and to ensure you have the correct equipment available in the event of an incident or emergency. Ensure safety equipment (such as fire extinguishers and first aid kits) is easily accessible and that all employees are trained to use it. Implementing a system for regularly checking your safety equipment is also recommended.

Safely store food

All food must be stored safely to prevent contamination and to ensure it is of good quality and safe to consume.

Some safe storage practices you should follow include:

• Keep storage areas clean and tidy.
• Check food deliveries are safe and of good quality before accepting them.
• Follow the First In First Out (FIFO) stock rotation system.
• Pay attention to use-by and best-before dates.
• Ensure fridges and freezers are set to the correct temperature.
• Follow the storage instruction on pre-packaged food.
• Store raw food and high-risk food correctly (e.g. below ready-to-eat foods).
• Keep foods that contain allergens separate.
• Store any chemicals away from food.
• Label any chilled or frozen food with the date.
• Ensure hot hold food is kept at the correct temperature (63°C and above).

Keep your floors clean

Slips and falls are one of the most frequent causes of injuries in food businesses. Slipping or falling on a floor that is wet or slippery can lead to an injury and could result in your business being sued. Implement a policy that any spills are mopped up immediately and ensure your restaurant has enough ‘Wet Floor’ and ‘Caution’ signs and that these are used when necessary. You should also perform regular inspections of your kitchen and restaurant floor to check for any hazards that haven’t been reported.

Provide uniform and PPE

Not only does a uniform make your employees appear more professional, but it can also help to protect them from injury. For example, by ensuring all staff wear closed-toe, slip-resistant shoes and long-sleeved shirts. PPE such as latex gloves, protective aprons and hair coverings can also help to prevent cross-contamination.

Ensure the personal hygiene of all staff

Good personal hygiene is essential when working in the food industry.

Good personal hygiene can include:

• Following handwashing procedures.
• Tying back hair or covering hair.
• Not wearing false nails or nail varnish on your fingernails.
• Not wearing jewellery or watches when preparing or cooking food.
• Not wearing strong perfume or other chemical products that could contaminate the food.
• Wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Following good habits, such as not coughing or sneezing near food and refraining from touching your hair or face.

You should also be aware of staff illnesses and ensure no employee is near food if they are displaying signs of illness or have recently experienced vomiting or diarrhoea.

Use a chemical safety data sheet (SDS)

If you store any chemicals, you should create safety data sheets to list the properties of each chemical, any potential physical, health and environmental hazards and any safety precautions for handling, storing and transporting the chemicals. An SDS can help to prevent exposure and reduce hazards and prepare emergency responses and procedures in the event that someone is exposed to a chemical.

Implement pest prevention and control methods

Pests can be a major issue for food businesses and can result in contaminated food and your restaurant being shut down by an Environmental Health Officer (EHO).

Some ways you can prevent pests are:

• Fill any gaps or holes in your building.
• Keep your external areas free from food, rubbish or vegetation.
• Dispose of food properly in closed bins.
• Keep your premises clean and tidy.
• Store food in sealed containers.
• Use fly screens on open windows or doors.
• Check your deliveries for signs of pest damage.

Ensure correct cooking temperatures

All food businesses, including restaurants, must ensure they are cooking and baking at the correct temperature. This is to reduce or eliminate the risk of food poisoning. Ensure your oven or other cooking equipment is set to the correct temperature and use a food thermometer to ensure food is thoroughly cooked. Any food must also be cooled in line with the guidelines and hot-hold food must be kept at the correct temperature and kept for no longer than two to four hours.

Pay attention to the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles

The HACCP principles help you to manage food safety hazards that could arise when storing, preparing, cooking and handling food. You can identify potential risks and implement measures to ensure these risks are reduced or removed. You should also keep records of any actions you take in line with HACCP.

Implement cleaning procedures

Having effective cleaning procedures is essential to any food business. It is recommended that a cleaning schedule or cleaning policies are in place that cover the cleaning of equipment, surfaces, and food preparation and storage areas. You will also need to clean each table thoroughly between customers and ensure your front of house is clean and well-maintained.

Keep clear and accurate records

When you are inspected by the EHO, they will likely request to see up-to-date records of your business’s cleaning schedules, risk assessments, health and safety policies, allergen information, and temperature checks. Keeping such records not only helps to protect your business and improve the likelihood of you receiving a higher score, but it also ensures procedures are followed at all times.

Conduct risk assessments

Although not a legal requirement for businesses with fewer than five employees, risk assessments can help to eliminate risks and ensure safe practices in your restaurant.

As part of your risk assessments, you should:

• Identify hazards.
• Determine who could be at risk.
• Evaluate any potential risks.
• Implement relevant safety measures.
• Record the results of the risk assessment.
• Review the risk assessment regularly.

You should keep physical records of your risk assessments as evidence of your commitment to safe practices.

Implement security measures

Security measures can be implemented to protect your business. Your restaurant will likely store a lot of expensive equipment and may keep cash on site. Some ways you can protect your business include installing a CCTV system, using secure and reliable locks and installing an alarm system.

Legal Requirements

Complying with legal requirements is essential when setting up and running your restaurant business. Legal guidelines can vary, depending on the type of restaurant you set up and where your business is located.

Some of the legal requirements you should be aware of include:

Register as a food business

Any business in the UK that sells food must apply for a food business registration with their local council. You must apply for your food business registration at least 28 days before you begin trading. Once you have registered, you may be inspected by your local council.

Apply for a Premises Licence

If you intend to sell alcohol or provide ‘licensable activities’ you will need to apply for a Premises Licence from your local council.

You will need this licence if you intend to:

• Sell alcohol.
• Serve hot food or drinks between 11 pm and 5 am.
• Provide entertainment such as a theatrical performance, an indoor sporting event, live or recorded music, dancing or showing a film.

When you apply for this licence, you must appoint a designated premises supervisor (DPS) who has a personal licence to sell alcohol.

Apply for a Personal Licence to Sell Alcohol

If you intend to sell alcohol on your premises, you (or a member of your staff) will need to apply for a Personal Licence . This means that every sale or supply of alcohol is authorised by your personal licence holder.

To qualify for a Personal Licence, you (or your employee) will need to obtain a qualification such as:

• The APLH Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders.
• BIIAB Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders.
• BTEC Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders.

This qualification teaches you about your responsibilities regarding alcohol sales, specific prohibitions, the strength of alcoholic drinks and protecting children from harm. Without this qualification, you cannot apply for your Personal Licence.

Apply for a Food Premises Licence

If your restaurant plans to serve meat, fish, eggs or dairy products, you will need to apply for a Food Premises Licence with your local council. Depending on your local council, you may need to display your licence clearly on your premises. Before you open your business, your local council may require your premises to undergo an inspection.

Comply with the Food Safety Act (1990)

The Food Safety Act applies to any business that sells food. It covers food safety, consumer protection and food information. It makes it an offence to make or sell any food which could be harmful to health and lays out hygiene practices you should follow.

There are several legal requirements listed in the Food Safety Act, including:

• Do not include anything from food, remove anything from food or treat food in any way which could make it damaging to the consumer.
• Ensure that all food practices are carried out in a hygienic way.
• Comply with food hygiene and safety practices when cleaning, cooking, chilling and handling food.

Comply with the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations

These regulations specify the standards relating to the control and management of the steps that are critical to food safety, including the cleanliness of your restaurant and equipment and temperature control in food preparation, storage and serving.

The regulations differ depending on where in the UK your business is located:

• England: The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.
• Scotland: The Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
• Wales: The Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations 2006.
• Northern Ireland: The Food Hygiene Regulations (Northern Ireland).

Comply with The Food Information (Amendment) Regulations 2019

These regulations set out the responsibilities of food businesses, including restaurants, to provide information regarding the 14 allergens (celery, cereals, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, cows’ milk, molluscs, mustard, nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, soya and sulphur dioxide). The regulations were updated in 2019 to include Natasha’s Law . You must ensure that any packaging, menus, signs or labels clearly state if any of these allergens are present.

Obtain Food Hygiene training

Any employees who prepare, handle or sell food must be supervised, instructed and trained in food hygiene. Although a food hygiene certificate isn’t a legal requirement, it is the easiest way to demonstrate your compliance to the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) that will inspect your business. Training will need to be refreshed regularly.

Implement a waste management system

Restaurants in the UK should have appropriate provisions for the separation, storage and removal of waste.

Some guidelines you should abide by include:

• Have appropriate bins which are sufficient in number and specified for different types of waste.
• Do not allow waste to accumulate
• Use bins that have fitted lids and foot pedals.
• Have a specific waste disposal area.
• Do not dispose of food waste in the sink.
• Use commercial sink strainers to prevent fat, oil, grease and small bits of food from entering the sewer network.
• Apply for a waste carrier registration if you transport any waste.

It is also recommended that you clean and disinfect bins regularly.

Comply with premises regulations

When choosing or refurbishing a commercial location, there are some guidelines and regulations you should comply with. These guidelines ensure your restaurant is in good condition, clean and maintained and encourages good hygiene practices.

• Handwashing facilities: You will need separate handwashing facilities that have hot and cold running water and appropriate materials to allow hands to be washed and dried hygienically.
• Changing facilities: Your premises should have adequate changing facilities if a member of staff needs to change their clothes.
• Ventilation, lighting and drainage: Your premises must have adequate ventilation, lighting and drainage in all relevant areas.
• Food preparation areas: – Floors and walls must be in good condition, easy to clean and frequently disinfected. – Ceilings must be in good condition, easy to clean, free from condensation and mould and free from flaking paint or plaster. – Windows and doors must be easy to clean and disinfect and if they open to the outside, fitted with removable insect-proof screens. – Surfaces should be maintained in good condition, easy to clean and frequently disinfected.
• Facilities for washing food: Your restaurant will need separate sinks for washing food and cleaning equipment. These sinks should have hot and cold running water that is of drinking quality.
• Equipment: Any equipment that comes into contact with food must be in good condition and cleaned and disinfected frequently.

Implement a Food Safety Management System (FSMS)

Food businesses in the UK must implement a Food Safety Management System. An FSMS is a systematic approach to controlling food safety hazards. It ensures that your business is following safety protocols and will influence your food hygiene rating.

Comply with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013

RIDDOR states that you must report all injuries, diseases and dangerous events that occur in your business. Reports must be made to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) using an appropriate recording document. These regulations apply to any incidents that involve employees or customers, including food poisoning.

Comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002

The COSHH regulations state that you must control any potentially hazardous substances. You should also assess, control and reduce any risks or potential hazards and protect people from harm.

Some hazardous substances you should be aware of are:

• Flour dust.
• Concentrates of flavour, citrus oils and spices.
• Cleaning substances.

Comply with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998

PUWER regulations apply to you and any employees you hire. You must ensure any equipment in your restaurant is fit for purpose and is maintained and inspected regularly. You must also ensure that health and safety risks are minimised to an acceptable level, that you have the correct knowledge and training to use the equipment, and that protective measures are put into place. Equipment should also be used under appropriate conditions. These regulations apply to your kitchen equipment and other equipment in your restaurant, such as furniture.

Comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989

The Electricity at Work Regulations state that any workplaces that use electricals must construct electrical systems in a way that prevents danger. You must also maintain electrical systems to ensure they are safe, ensure electrical equipment is checked by a competent person annually and conduct Portable Appliance Tests (PAT).

Comply with gas safety regulations

If you have a gas boiler you will need to have it and any equipment that uses gas inspected by a gas safe engineer. If your equipment is deemed safe to use and complies with government requirements, you will be issued a Gas Safety Certificate. You will need to display your gas certificate clearly for your guests and other visitors to your business to see.

Comply with fire regulations

As the business owner, you are responsible for fire safety measures in your restaurant.

There are multiple fire regulations you must ensure you comply with, including:

• Conducting a fire risk assessment.
• Complying with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 .
• Implementing any necessary fire safety measures.
• Implementing emergency procedures and ensuring these are clearly displayed.

Comply with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

Manual handling regulations can help to protect you and your employees from sustaining an injury or illness as a result of manual handling tasks. The regulations apply to the lifting or moving of any objects, bending down and reaching high and repetitive movements. You will likely be performing manual handling activities when carrying out tasks such as preparing food (e.g. chopping vegetables) and carrying plates of food.

Prepare a health and safety policy

The law states that every business in the UK must have a specific policy for managing health and safety. Your policy should state exactly how you will manage health and safety in your restaurant, who is responsible for specific tasks and how and when these tasks are completed.

Appoint a competent person

A competent person should be appointed to help your business meet your health and safety legal duties. You can act in this role yourself or appoint another person to fulfil this role. The competent person should have the skills, knowledge and experience to identify any hazards in your business and put controls in place to protect people from harm.

Comply with employment legislation

You must ensure you follow employment legislation, including the Employment Rights Act (1996 ) and the National Minimum Wage Act (1998) . You must also comply with legislation relating to recruitment, working hours, sickness, discrimination, dismissals, and maternity or paternity pay.

Register your business

You must register your business with HMRC before you begin operating. You can register as a sole trader or as a limited company. You will need to register your business name and any other relevant information. You will also need to register for self-assessment tax.

Positives of Owning a Restaurant Business

Owning a restaurant business can be rewarding in many ways. Some of the main positives associated with this type of business are:

Restaurants are in high demand

Even with many other types of businesses (such as high street shops) failing following the Covid-19 lockdown, the restaurant industry is thriving. People love going out to eat and with so many different types of foods and cuisine being popular in the UK, there is the potential for many different types of restaurants to successfully co-exist and make a profit. Having high demand for your services makes it more likely that your restaurant business will succeed.

Every day is different

Running a restaurant business will never get boring. Every day will be different and will present new challenges and different customers. You could be managing different staff every day, preparing different daily specials and taking responsibility for different tasks. A varied workday helps to keep your job interesting.

A rewarding career choice

Running a restaurant can be rewarding in many ways. You can have a positive impact on your community, connect with other people and see your business grow and succeed. If you love food and have a passion for cooking and the restaurant industry, running a successful business will not only be financially rewarding, but also personally rewarding.

Be a part of special occasions

Many people visit restaurants for special occasions, such as birthdays, graduations and anniversaries. Being a part of these special occasions, particularly if you know the customers or help to arrange something special for their occasion, can be extremely rewarding. Restaurants also frequently witness proposals and the sharing of special news, such as a new baby or job. Knowing that your restaurant will hold a special place in your customers’ hearts for being part of the important times of their lives can be very rewarding.

Be part of your local community

Restaurants are an important staple of local communities and make up part of an area’s identity. Running a restaurant allows you to connect with people from your local community, both personally and professionally. You can also give back to the community, by donating to charity, hosting community events and hosting fundraisers. Some restaurants help their communities further, for example, by hosting a free Christmas dinner for elderly people living alone.

High profit margin

You can plan your menu to maximise your profits, for example, by using the same ingredients in multiple dishes. You can also mark up your dishes, meaning the price of the dish will significantly exceed the cost of the ingredients. A high profit margin can help you to increase your profits and your business’s income.

Unlimited income potential

There is no fixed income or limit on how much money your restaurant can make. If you operate at maximum capacity, this allows you to increase your profits. As your business grows in popularity, you can also raise your prices, extend your premises, improve your menu and even open additional franchises of your business in other areas. A restaurant business has a high-income potential and with a solid business plan, can be extremely lucrative.

Customer loyalty

If your customers enjoy your food and drinks and the atmosphere of your restaurant, they are likely to return time and time again. Many customers, particularly families, return to the same restaurants for years. Not only does this give you the opportunity to get to know your customers, but customer loyalty can also help you to grow your profits. Loyal customers may even recommend your restaurant to other people or write a positive review, which can help you to grow your customer base.

Be creative

You can be creative with your menu. You have the opportunity to be creative with your ingredients, flavours, textures and the presentation of your dishes to create the perfect products. If you love being creative in the kitchen, running a restaurant can be enjoyable and rewarding. Creativity can even happen in other ways, such as designing the aesthetic of your business or creating a new cocktail.

Do something you are passionate about

If you are passionate about cooking and food, setting up your own restaurant business can be extremely rewarding. You can do something you love every day and will have the opportunity to create your own recipes and designs and be creative with your cooking. Profiting from your passion can be very rewarding.

Capitalise on seasonal opportunities

Certain times of the year, such as the lead-up to Christmas and Valentine’s Day, always result in a huge increase in business. You can capitalise on these opportunities by decorating your restaurant, creating a specific menu and planning special events. You could also offer set menus for events such as Christmas, helping you to attract large groups of customers, such as work Christmas parties. Capitalising on special occasions can help you to attract new customers and increase your profits.

Create a positive work environment

You will be responsible for hiring staff and creating staff policies. This gives you the opportunity to create a positive work environment. You could hire staff that you know will bring positivity to your restaurant and will be an asset to your business. Your staff will also likely be like-minded people who are also passionate about food and beverages and also enjoy talking to customers.

Face-to-face interaction

If you are an outgoing person and you enjoy speaking to people from all different walks of life, you will likely enjoy working in a customer-facing business. You can get to know your customers and spend time talking to them every day. Because restaurants usually experience a lot of repeat business, you can really get to know your customers.

Free advertising on social media

Set up social media accounts (such as Facebook and Instagram) for your business to easily gain exposure, by posting photos or videos of your restaurant and arty or appealing pictures of your food and beverages. Your customers may also post pictures to their own social media accounts which will be seen by their followers. This can help you to gain exposure and be noticed online. Social media is a form of free advertising which can help you to grow your customer base and increase your income.

Choose your own schedule

You can choose which days your restaurant opens and the hours you want to work. You can choose the opening hours based on your busiest days and your own preferences. As your business grows, you can also work fewer hours and allow your employees to handle the day-to-day running of your business.

Be your own boss

You can make all key decisions yourself and steer your business in whichever direction you choose. You can choose how involved you want to be, the type of restaurant you open, the food and beverages you sell and how you want to run your business. You can make the best decisions for you and your business.

Negatives of Owning a Restaurant Business

Although there are many benefits associated with owning a restaurant, there are some potentially negative aspects of this type of business that you should be aware of.

High competition

Not only are you competing with other restaurants, but you are also competing with cafés, pubs, bars and other food businesses. Even supermarkets offer sit-down meals. A high level of competition, particularly with well-known restaurant chains (such as Pizza Hut and Nando’s) and popular fast-food and takeaway options (such as McDonald’s and KFC) that typically have low price points, can make it more difficult for your business to succeed.

Long working hours

Many restaurants open 6 or 7 days a week and try to maximise their profits by opening for longer hours. You may try to attract both lunchtime and dinnertime customers, meaning your business will need to be open for most of the day. You will also need to account for the hours you will be working before and after your opening hours, to accept deliveries, prepare food and clean your premises. You may find yourself working more than 60 hours per week (particularly when your business is growing), which can be extremely tiring, both mentally and physically.

High start-up costs

The equipment needed for a restaurant business can be expensive. You will also be responsible for the rent and renovation costs. The high start-up costs mean you may need to source outside investment. It will also take longer for you to begin turning a profit. High start-up costs also make your business high risk, as you could potentially lose your investment if the business fails.

Unsociable working hours

As well as a long working week, you may also be expected to work unsociable working hours. Restaurants tend to be busiest in the evening and at the weekend. To help your business succeed, you may have to be available at these peak times (particularly while your restaurant is starting out and growing). This can impact your family life and personal life.

Physically demanding

Working in a restaurant can be physically demanding. You will be spending long hours on your feet every day and will be engaged in many physically demanding tasks, such as reaching high and bending low and carrying heavy items.

This can cause multiple health concerns, such as:

• Neck or back pain or strain.
• Pain, strain or injuries to your fingers, hands and wrists.
• Pain in your feet or legs.

It can be difficult to grow your business

It can be more difficult for a new restaurant business to grow and succeed because of the high competition. People often choose a restaurant they have visited before or that has been recommended to them, or they choose a restaurant that has a high number of positive reviews online. It can be difficult to grow your customer base and you may experience slow business at first. This can have a detrimental effect on your income and profits. You may experience a lack of profitability in your first year of operation.

Staffing challenges

There are many staffing challenges you could face, such as a lack of staff motivation, customer complaints about staff and staff not fulfilling their expected duties. It can be difficult to create and maintain a positive work environment when working in such a busy, high-pressure environment. You will also have lots of responsibilities related to your staff, such as the hiring process, staff training, day-to-day management, staff rotas and staff payroll. While your business and your profits are growing, you may have to undertake many of these responsibilities yourself. Restaurants also typically have a high staff turnover, which can waste a lot of time in hiring and training.

Accountability and liability

The food industry is highly regulated with many laws and regulations you must be aware of. You need to ensure you follow all policies and procedures, particularly those relating to health and safety. Not only can it be time-consuming (and sometimes expensive) to ensure compliance, but failure to comply, even unintentionally, could have serious consequences. If a customer contracts food poisoning after eating at your restaurant you could be held liable.

Complying with legislation

There are many different pieces of legislation and legal guidelines you will need to comply with. Not only can this be complicated and time-consuming, but any non-compliance (even if this is accidental) can be punished with a fine or the forced closure of your business. Some types of legislation also require you to go through specific training and/or gain a qualification, which can be costly and arduous. A restaurant business can have high liability which can be a lot of stress and pressure on a business owner.

High responsibility

As the business owner, you will have a lot of responsibility, including ensuring the financial well-being, positive public opinion and the health, safety and hygiene of your establishment. Although other employees can handle the day-to-day running of your business, you may wish to take on these responsibilities to ensure the success of your business. A lot of responsibility can be time-consuming and stressful.

Inconsistent profits

Some days are likely to be busier than others and sometimes this can be difficult to predict. It could also be that you receive more business at certain times of the year. This can make it difficult for you to predict your profits, order your ingredients and plan how many of each product you should pre-prepare every day.

Ingredients and stock can be expensive

Depending on your menu, you may require expensive ingredients, such as meats, seafood and expensive cheeses. Although you can price your menu accordingly, prices that are too high will deter customers. Expensive stock and ingredients can affect your profit margin and your overall income.

Spoilage can affect your profits

You will be dealing with a lot of perishable ingredients which spoil quickly. Some of the products you make or purchase will need to be used the same day to prevent them from spoiling or going stale and becoming food waste. This can have a significant impact on your profits, as the ingredients and time required to make them are wasted. Additionally, to save time your chef may pre-prepare and batch-cook many items on your menu and if these are not sold, the wasted ingredients can affect your profits.

Issues out of your control

This can be one of the most frustrating aspects of running a restaurant, as things that are outside of your control can have a negative impact on your business and your profits. For example, your supplier raising their prices, your stock delivery being cancelled or your equipment breaking can prevent you from properly running your business, which could not only affect your profits but also result in negative customer reviews.

It can be stressful

There are many responsibilities associated with running a restaurant which can be stressful. Not only will you be responsible for the day-to-day running of your business, but you will also need to ensure your customers are satisfied. You are also responsible for your business’s success, which can be stress-inducing.

A lot of skill, knowledge and experience are required

To help your business succeed, you will need to be highly proficient in a variety of skills and will need to have a lot of experience with different foods and beverages. You will also need to have extensive experience working in a restaurant and have a high level of knowledge about health, safety and hygiene legislation. It can be time-consuming to gain the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience to make your business succeed.

Bad reviews

Although the majority of customers leave honest reviews, some customers are difficult to please and will leave a negative review because of the smallest complaint (even if it is something outside of your control, such as a long wait time or other customers being too loud). Sometimes a fake customer also leaves a fake review, which can be extremely difficult to disprove and remove. Negative reviews can be extremely damaging to your business, particularly if your business is new or you’ve had relatively few reviews.

No benefits

As you are self-employed, you won’t receive benefits such as pension contributions. You will also be responsible for doing your own taxes and organising your National Insurance contributions. You will also have a lack of job security.

Planning Your Restaurant Business

An effective and well-designed business plan is essential to the success of your restaurant. A business plan can help you to focus on the specific steps that will help your business succeed, plan your short-term and long-term goals, determine your financial needs and help your business to grow.

When creating your business plan, ensure it contains information such as:

• Your company information.
• Your company description.
• The services you will provide.
• Your branding, marketing and advertising plan.
• The structure of your business.
• The operational plan for your business.
• The financial plan for your business.

Some of the factors you will need to consider when creating your business plan are:

Your business summary

Your business plan should include a detailed overview of your business, including your location, the size of your business, the type of restaurant you run, your proposed menu (or the food or cuisine you will focus on), your staffing requirements, your equipment and your business goals.

The type of restaurant you are going to set up

Deciding what type of restaurant you are going to set up is the first step in planning your business. For example, will you operate a fine-dining restaurant or a fast-casual restaurant? Will you offer a takeaway service or operate within a specific niche? The type of restaurant you set up will impact your premises, staff requirements, your target customers, and your menu. Consider your local competition, your budget, and your own skills when deciding what type of restaurant you will run. You should also ensure the design and aesthetic of your premises fit in with your vision.

Creating a menu is a process that can take time and if you are not working as the main chef, you may want to create your menu in partnership with them. You may choose to offer a wide and varied menu or focus on a specific type of cuisine or niche (such as Greek food or vegan food). Your menu may change over time, but ensure it reflects your brand and the type of restaurant you want to operate.

Your business location

Your location will have a significant impact on the types of customers you are likely to attract. It will also impact your premises’ rental costs. If your business is located in an area with high footfall or a place popular with your target market, the increased custom and higher profits will be extremely beneficial to your business. Consider your rental budget and your size requirements when choosing your premises.

Your target market

Determining your target market is a key step to helping your business succeed. Different types of restaurants, different menus and different designs and aesthetics are likely to attract different customers. Your pricing strategy will also be a key factor in determining your target market. Once you have identified your typical customers, you can then focus on how to attract them to your business.

Your local competition

Being aware of other restaurants in your area can help you decide what type of business to run and how much to charge your customers. If your local area already has several successful restaurants, you may want to focus on an untapped niche and target different customers; for example, if there is already a successful Italian restaurant operating within close proximity, you may want to open a different type of restaurant or consider how to make your Italian restaurant stand out.

Your equipment and stock requirements

Consult the list above to determine your equipment requirements. The equipment you require will depend on the type of restaurant you set up and how big your premises is. Once you have determined your equipment requirements, you can then calculate the initial costs of purchasing the equipment and the monthly replenishment costs, e.g. for stock and ingredients.

Your start-up costs and running costs

Consult the list above to help you calculate the approximate costs of setting up and running your business. Determine what equipment you need and the amount of equipment, as well as the cost of your premises, to help you determine your start-up costs and what your initial investment requirements will be. You can then calculate whether you can finance your business yourself or whether you need to source outside investment, for example, from a bank or an independent investor. Determining your start-up costs and running costs can also help you to create a budget and predict when you will begin to turn a profit.

Financing your business

Consult the list of start-up costs and running costs above to determine what capital you will require. Can you finance the business yourself or will you need to source outside investment? You will also need to calculate when you are likely to begin turning a profit. If you require outside investment, you could consider a bank or other financial institution, a business loan or an investment partner.

Your price points

When determining the pricing of your menu, consider the cost of your stock and ingredients and the time it will take to make each dish. You should also take into account the pricing of your competitors.

Creating your brand is a key way to ensure you stand out from your local competition. Branding can help you to focus on your target customers, attract clients and concentrate your marketing and advertising strategies. Some ways you can create your brand are by focusing on your business’s visual identity, designing your menu and creating a brand story. Your business name and logo are also part of your branding so ensure you consider these when creating your business plan.

Your marketing and advertising strategies

Marketing and advertising are especially important when you first open your restaurant. Your marketing strategy needs to be effective and budget friendly. Consider your target customers and the best way to reach them.

Some ways you can market and advertise your business are:

• Build a functional and attractive website.
• Advertise in your local community.
• Offer special deals and introductory offers to build your customer base.
• Ask your customers to review your restaurant online.

Your sales forecast

How many customers can your restaurant seat at one time? What is your average table turnover rate? Are certain days likely to be busier than others? As your business and reputation grow, your sales forecast is likely to change. You should also consider whether certain times of the year are likely to have increased sales, for example, if you are located close to the seafront you will likely be busier during Spring and Summer.

Your strategy for growth

Your strategy for growth is the actions you will take to realise your goals for expansion and any potential challenges your business could face and how you will avoid or overcome them. Being aware of any potential challenges can help you to prepare for them and hopefully avoid them. This can help to make your business more successful. Challenges could include a failure to attract new customers and a high level of competition in your chosen niche.

Some potential strategies for growth include:

• Expand your menu.
• Apply for Michelin star status.
• Open another restaurant location.

Your business goals

Determining your business goals is an essential part of creating your business plan. Your business objectives highlight the targets and goals of your restaurant business and help you to create a one-year, three-year and five-year business plan.

Your business objectives should be SMART:

• S = Specific
• M = Measurable
• A = Achievable
• R = Realistic
• T = Time-bound

Legal requirements

Consult the list of legal requirements above to check you have complied with all requirements and regulations and that all your paperwork is accurate. Failure to comply with legal requirements could have a detrimental effect on your business or could result in a fine, the forced closure of your business or, in serious cases, prosecution.

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How to write a restaurant business plan.

Everything in life needs planning. Whether it's a small birthday party or constructing a building, each task needs to have some sort of a blueprint. 

Even experts who have been in a field for a certain amount of time agree that having a plan in hand gives you a little idea about your end product. If you’re someone who is looking to open a restaurant but has no clue where to begin, you’ve come to the right place. 

Writing a business plan is the next best possible thing you can do when you’re intending to open up a restaurant. If you need guidance on how to go about it, carry on with this article which makes writing a restaurant business plan easy:

Ideally, your restaurant business plan should include the following topics:

1. Executive Summary

First and foremost, you should have an executive summary at the beginning of your plan. Don’t know what it is? It’s okay. We’ve all been there. An executive summary is a short, succinct summary of your entire business plan. Basically, you should write it for someone who does not have a lot of time but wants to know everything about your business plan. So, maybe you can include a little bit of everything. Skip the boring details.

2. Restaurant Vision and Concept

This is like a primer of your restaurant. Readers, investors or even your team should get a flavour of what the restaurant is all about. Here, you can include logos, your colour theme, what cuisine inspired you to take this leap or just a simple story of your childhood dream. You can include your choice for interior, the staff’s clothing, your location, or maybe even add music suggestions!

Moreover, your restaurant name should be such that it inspires people, or at the very least, it makes them feel something. It should be catchy and should have a nice ring to it. 

3. Thorough Market Analysis

After you’re done with the above two, you need to provide your readers with why your restaurant has a competitive edge over others. Why should people come to your restaurant and not eat somewhere else? If you’re doing something different or have a unique menu, you should include it here. Make it sound like your restaurant is the only one in town offering such services.

Your market analysis should ideally be done before you set a business plan. 

4. Introduce the Team

Of course, you cannot do everything on your own. This is why you have a team who should be included in this business plan. Give a brief description of your team and why they are important in achieving your restaurant dream. You should be able to convey how many people are involved and what positions they will hold in your restaurant and its management.

Perhaps, you can begin with emphasizing the value of team culture and present it as one of your aspirations. Any investor who reads your business plan will need to know if you are not single-handedly managing it or delegating tasks.

5. Target Audience

Any business which does not have a specific target audience is treading in muddy waters. It’s okay if your target audience is everybody (since it’s food). But you should try to define it as much as possible. Maybe the location where your restaurant is can be count as a target audience. However, if your restaurant only targets youngsters, then mention why you think this a suitable demographic. Maybe it has to do with the menu, or it offers a gaming zone etc.

If location and demographic don’t help, then maybe try to define your target audience through psychographic factors. This means that you define their lifestyle and why they would choose your restaurant out of other options. 

The menu is the most important part of your business plan. After all, it is a restaurant’s business plan. You should have a dummy menu with prices and deals so that readers can get an idea of what to expect.

7. Financials

While financials can be intimidating, they shouldn’t have to be. You can hire a consultant or an accountant for handling the financial part of the business. But ideally, you should include the cost of opening a restaurant business. This means that your readers should know if the location is rented or leased, the cost of equipment, employee pay, cost of buying raw materials, and marketing costs.

Restaurant Funding Tips For Small Food Businesses

You should have a rough idea about how big or small your restaurant is going to be. Ideally, people hire an accountant associated with the restaurant industry. They can provide their expertise and give key projections such as:

• Breakeven analysis
• Profit and loss statement 
• Capital Requirements Budget 

8. Marketing Plan

Everybody gets by with a little help. After all, this is your labour of love. So you definitely want the best for it. A good marketing strategy can get your game up. You can choose social media and do the marketing yourself. Or hire a PR agency for it. You will have to justify whatever strategy you employ to your investors. You should include your plans to have a soft opening so that you can get an idea of what customers liked or disliked and what can be further improved.

Restaurant Marketing Strategy

Bottom Line

Opening a restaurant is a big deal itself. But before your restaurant dream can take off, it is important to plan efficiently. Since this is an iterative process, it will save you from unnecessary costs, make you re-think certain decisions and possibly add a new item to your menu. Or simply just provide you with a fresh outlook of how it is going to turn out. Not to forget, you can use this business plan for your investors too! So, if you want to launch a thriving restaurant business, get to planning! If you are unsure of how to write a restaurant business plan, there are many templates available online. 

Check this post from Startups . 

About the Author

Massimo’s career has grown up through the restaurant world, starting as a waiter through to high-end restaurant openings within an operational management capacity. This depth of experience has allowed him to understand the business from both a guest’s needs to what a team needs, giving him the benefit of an all-rounded view and approach to problem solving.

How to Write a Small Restaurant Business Plan + Free Sample Plan PDF

Makenna Crocker

10 min. read

Updated March 18, 2024

Free Download:  Sample Restaurant Business Plan Template

From greasy spoon diners to Michelin Star restaurants, food service has captured the hearts and imaginations of countless culinary entrepreneurs.

In the United States, 90% of restaurant owners operate small restaurants with fewer than 50 employees . And 70% operate in just one location.

If you’re passionate about food and dream of opening a restaurant, you have plenty of company. But cooking skills alone won’t cut it. You need a plan.

In this article, we’ll walk you through writing a small restaurant business plan, from conducting market research to developing promotional strategies and creating a financial forecast. 

Need more guidance? Download our free small restaurant business plan template .

Why write a small restaurant business plan?

Starting a restaurant from scratch isn’t cheap.  Startup costs range from $175,000 to $750,000 and include hefty upfront expenses like:

• Building lease
• Kitchen equipment
• Ingredient sourcing

The financials section of a business plan gives you space to compile these costs into an expense budget and compare them to your revenue projections . These will be invaluable in helping you determine if your restaurant concept is financially viable.

And if you need a bank loan or investor to help fund your restaurant , they’ll want to see a plan that includes financial projections (more on that later).

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• How to write a small restaurant business plan

The business plan is not only where you lay out your plan, vision, and goals for the restaurant – it pushes you to thoroughly research and understand your market , competitors , and customers to make informed decisions. It guides you through the intricacies of opening and running a small restaurant and helps you keep your finances in order.

Here are some tips for writing a small restaurant business plan that sets you up for success.

• Start with a company overview

A good place to start is to think about the big picture. What do you want your restaurant to be? Are you envisioning upscale dining in a candlelit, intimate setting? Or maybe you’re going for comfort food in a family-friendly atmosphere?

Capture the essence of your restaurant with a brief, attention-grabbing overview. Think of the start of your overview section as an elevator pitch. You’re introducing your concept and vision to highlight what will make your business unique .

Just keep it succinct. 

You’ll need to include other important information about your business here, such as the legal structure of your business and the qualifications of you and your management team.

If you’re writing a business for an existing restaurant, you should also cover its history – when the restaurant was founded, who was involved, and milestones it has reached.

• Understand your target market

Conducting a thorough market analysis is key to the success of your small restaurant. In an industry as competitive as the restaurant business, you’ll need to have your finger on the pulse of your dining market if you hope to create a unique offering.

Defining your target market is essential when starting your restaurant, helping answer questions like:

• Is there demand in the local market for your food?
• Who are your primary competitors? 
• Is there building space for lease near where your target customers live or work?
• What types of partnerships with food distributors (wholesalers, farmers, butchers, etc.) will be needed to ensure a steady flow of fresh ingredients?

The first step is to identify who your diners will be. 

It’s unrealistic to try to appeal to every single customer. So, ask yourself who you envision walking through your doors. Are they:

• Adults aged 40 and over, with lots of disposable income and exotic culinary tastes.
• Children, young adults, and families looking for quick, convenient food that doesn’t stretch their budgets.

Of course, these aren’t the only two customer demographics for a restaurant. But you should get the sense that these customer segments have very different preferences.

Read more: Target market example

Understanding your target market involves more than just demographics. Consider their:

• Spending habits
• Daily routines

If you plan to operate in a busy city center, your target market might include working professionals seeking quick lunch options or upscale dining options after work. But if you’re opening in a less visible area near residential neighborhoods, you may be more likely to target families.

• Size up your competition

With a target customer in mind, you need to understand who you’ll be competing with for their dining budget.

Analyzing your competitors is about understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and strategies. 

Start by identifying direct competitors (other small restaurants) and indirect competitors (like fast-food chains or food trucks). Observe how they attract customers, the ambiance they create, and the variety and pricing of their menus.

Get a feel for their operational strategies:

• How much staffing do they have?
• How fast (or slow) is their service?
• What kinds of supplier relationships do they seem to have?

And their marketing tactics :

• How do they engage with customers?
• What deals or promotions do they offer?
• What kind of reviews are they getting online?

Finally, think about their long-term position: 

• Have they expanded or downsized recently?
• Have they changed their operating hours?
• Have they changed their menu?

As you observe these competitors and their customers, ask yourself what they are doing right and where they are coming up short. 

This knowledge will help you identify gaps in the market and opportunities to offer a unique experience.

• Create a detailed operations plan

With so many moving pieces to manage as a restaurant owner, writing an operations plan is just as important as creating a market analysis.

The operations section of your business plan details how your restaurant will function daily. 

It should briefly touch on every aspect of running the business–from staffing needs to how often you will need to buy new ingredients, kitchen equipment, or dining utensils.

Your operations plan will reflect the unique needs of your business, but a typical restaurant operations plan might include:

• Staffing and training: Lay out a staffing plan, with the roles and responsibilities of each team member. Include strategies for hiring, training, and employee retention.
• Equipment and technology: Outline your dining, kitchen, and technology needs, from tables and chairs to ovens and point-of-sale systems.
• Supply chain management: Explain your ingredient sourcing and inventory management strategies and your plan to build relationships with suppliers.
• Customer service policies: Describe how you manage customer service needs and feedback to ensure a positive dining experience.
• Health and safety protocols: Detail procedures for maintaining kitchen hygiene practices and food handling standards to ensure food safety and compliance with health regulations.

Without an operations plan, you’ll lack a documented strategy for managing your kitchen workflow, maintaining customer satisfaction, or even basic tasks like inventory or staffing.

And if you’re writing a business plan to get a bank loan or investment , they’ll want to see that you have a plan for successfully managing the restaurant. 

• Actively market your restaurant

Your small restaurant may serve the most mouthwatering dishes in town, but no one will discover it without effective promotional strategies. 

You need to develop a comprehensive marketing plan to showcase your culinary delights and entice customers through your doors.

Consider both traditional and digital marketing channels to reach your target audience. Traditional methods may include:

• Hosting special events
• Participating in local food festivals
• Partnering with complementary businesses in your community

Digital strategies may include:

• Creating an engaging website
• Building a strong presence on social media platforms
• Utilizing online review platforms to build credibility and foster positive word-of-mouth.

When developing your promotional strategies, consider the following tips:

Be smart about your online presence

Build a visually appealing and user-friendly website that showcases your restaurant’s ambiance, menu, and story. 

Leverage social media platforms to engage with your audience, share enticing food photos, and run targeted advertising campaigns.

Consider promotions

Encourage repeat business by implementing a loyalty program that rewards customers for their patronage. Offer incentives such as discounts to certain customer segments, like seniors, veterans, or students.

Engage with the local community

Participate in community events, sponsor local sports teams or charity initiatives, and establish partnerships with neighboring businesses. 

Becoming an active community member will build brand awareness and loyalty.

Don’t ignore your pricing and financial strategy

According to data from the National Restaurant Association , about 60% of restaurants fail in their first year, and 80% close within five years.

You need to understand your startup and ongoing operating expenses to run a successful small restaurant.

Start by estimating your startup costs , including:

• Site acquisition (down payment if owning the space, initial payment if leasing)
• Building improvements
• Equipment purchases
• Licenses and permits
• Initial inventory
• Menu creation

Then, account for ongoing operating expenses, such as:

• Employee wages
• Mortgage or rent payments
• Ingredient costs

Pricing your menu items strategically is essential to ensuring profitability. Analyze ingredient costs, consider portion sizes, and compare prices in your local market to determine competitive yet profitable pricing.

Conduct a break-even analysis to determine the number of customers you need to serve to cover costs and start generating profits. Regularly review your financials and adjust your pricing as needed to maintain a healthy bottom line.

Consider these financial aspects when developing your small restaurant business plan:

Budget Allocation

Determine how you will allocate your budget across different areas of your restaurant, such as kitchen equipment, interior design, marketing, and staff training.

Prioritize investments that will have a direct impact on customer experience and operational efficiency.

Revenue Streams

Identify multiple revenue streams for your restaurant. This may include revenue from food sales, catering services, private events, or partnerships with local businesses.

Diversifying your revenue sources can help stabilize your cash flow.

Cost Control

Develop strategies to control costs without compromising quality. Efficient inventory management, negotiation with suppliers, and staff training on waste reduction can contribute to cost savings.

Sales Forecasting

Create a sales forecast based on your market research, pricing strategy, and seating capacity. Consider seasonal fluctuations and special events that may impact your restaurant’s performance.

Other information to include in your small restaurant business plan

As a restaurant owner, a few components of your business plan are unique to your industry. 

None of these fit neatly into any one section of a business plan. We suggest addressing them in additional sections or within the appendix .

Restaurant location and layout

Include information about your restaurant’s location . 

Some of this information will be included in your market analysis, but once you’ve secured a location, you should go deeper and analyze factors like:

• Rent and utilities
• Foot traffic
• Parking availability
• Nearby businesses

Explaining the layout of your restaurant – especially your kitchen – is also important. Consider adding photos or diagrams of each room to your plan. 

Diagrams can be especially helpful. You can add in-depth details for seating arrangements in the dining room or how staff should move efficiently throughout the kitchen.

What do many people do before deciding whether to eat at a restaurant? 

They look at the menu.

You can gain or lose customers on the strength of your menu. It affects numerous business areas, from marketing to pricing and operations.

For instance, if you’re running a family-friendly restaurant but your prices are too high, people will see that on your menu and may decide to eat somewhere cheaper. 

On the other hand, if you’re running a fine dining restaurant , but your menu fails to describe your dishes in an appealing way, diners may go somewhere they perceive as having higher quality meals.

That makes the business plan a great place to create menu concepts. 

You can experiment with different offerings, price points, and menu designs until you’re confident about sharing them with customers. 

And since business plans are continuously updated as your business changes—you can see how your menu has changed over time and what’s been most successful.

Download your free small restaurant business plan template

If you’re ready to start a restaurant, you can download our free small restaurant business plan template from our library of over 550 sample business plans . 

Get started today, and discover why businesses that plan grow 30% faster than those that don’t .

More restaurant business plan examples:

• Food truck business plan
• Coffee shop business plan
• Bakery business plan
• Brewery business plan

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Makenna Crocker is the Marketing Specialist at Richardson Sports. Her work focuses on market and social trends, crafting gripping and authentic content, and enhancing marketing strategy to foster stronger B2B and B2C relationships. With a master’s degree in Advertising and Brand Responsibility from the University of Oregon, she specializes in generating a strong and responsible brand presence through content that positively influences and inspires others.

Table of Contents

• Why you need a plan
• Don’t ignore your pricing and financial strategy
• Additional info to include
• Free business plan template

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Restaurant Business Plan: Step-by-Step Guide + examples

Dreaming of opening a 🍴 restaurant? Passion, creativity, and delicious food are key. But for long-term success, a business plan is essential too.

Maja Jankowska

Are you dreaming of owning your own restaurant? Picture the sizzle of a hot skillet, the laughter of satisfied guests, and the fulfillment of sharing your culinary creations with the world. But before you dive into this flavorful adventure, there’s a crucial ingredient you can’t overlook: a winning restaurant business plan.

What is a business plan for?

A business plan is a vital document for every restaurant owner. It provides a roadmap for success, helps secure funding, guides financial and operational decisions, mitigates risks, and facilitates effective communication. 

Just like any other business, a restaurant needs a well-crafted business plan to ensure its success and sustainability. Without a business plan, you risk operating in the dark, making decisions on a whim, and facing unexpected challenges that could have been avoided. 

Investing time and effort into creating a solid business plan sets your restaurant on the path to achieving your culinary dreams and exceeding customer expectations.

Create Restaurant’s Business Plan in these 9 steps:

✔️ 1. Start with an executive summary ✔️ 2. Describe your concept ✔️ 3. Conduct Market analysis ✔️ 4. Define your management and organization ✔️ 5. Give a sample “yummy”  Menu ✔️ 6. Create design and branding ✔️ 7. Provide a Location ✔️ 8. Establish Marketing plan ✔️ 9. Define Financial plan

1. Executive summary

The executive summary is like the appetizer of your restaurant business plan – it’s the first bite that leaves a lasting impression. Its purpose is to capture the essence of your entire plan and entice time-crunched reviewers, such as potential investors and lenders, to delve deeper into your vision. It’s worth noting that the executive summary should be the final section you write.

To craft a concise and captivating summary, it’s crucial to highlight key points, including your unique concept, target market, and financial projections. Additionally, bear in mind that the executive summary sets the tone for the rest of your plan, so it’s essential to make it irresistible and leave readers yearning for more.

When it comes to the executive summary of your restaurant business plan, brevity is key . You have only one page to capture the attention of readers, but don’t worry, it’s definitely doable. Here’s what your executive summary should include:

• Restaurant concept : What does your business do?
• Goals and vision : What does your business want to achieve?
• Restaurant differentiation : What makes your menu/concept different, and what sets you apart?
• Projected financial state : What revenue do you anticipate?
• The team : Who is involved in the business?

2. Describe your concept

In the world of restaurant business plans, there’s a section that holds immense importance. It’s the one that answers two fundamental questions: Who are you, and what do you plan to do?

This is the section where you fully introduce your company, and it deserves special attention. Share all the important details that paint a vivid picture of your unique business. Include the restaurant’s name, location, and contact information. Additionally, provide relevant details such as the chef’s background and what makes your restaurant stand out in the market.

Curious about concept creation? Watch our short video featuring a summary of an example restaurant concept below! 👇

Now is your opportunity to showcase your vision and establish a unique identity for your restaurant. Utilize this section to highlight what sets you apart and capture the reader’s imagination.

3. Market analysis

Market analysis helps you understand your potential customers, competition, and overall restaurant market trends. It’s like having a crystal ball to shape your restaurant’s success.

Target audience 

When it comes to your potential market, you want to know how many people are hungry for what you’re serving. Sounds exciting, right? To estimate this, you’ll gather data on your target customers, like their age group or preferences, and combine it with industry trends. It’s like finding the perfect recipe to satisfy their cravings.

Competition

Now, let’s tackle the competition. Every restaurant has rivals, even if they’re serving a unique dish. It’s crucial to identify direct or indirect competitors and understand what makes you stand out. Are you offering affordable prices, a one-of-a-kind experience, or catering to a specific niche? Highlight your “secret sauce” that sets you apart from the rest.

Market analysis for restaurant’s business plan

Market analysis also involves a SWOT analysis. Don’t let the jargon scare you. It simply means evaluating your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Think of it as a superhero assessment for your restaurant. Identify what you excel at, areas for improvement, potential market opportunities, and external factors that could impact your success.

Example of SWOT analysis for a restaurant

Remember, market analysis is like a compass guiding your restaurant’s journey. It helps you make informed decisions, attract investors, and stay ahead of the game. So, embrace the power of market analysis, and let it shape the destiny of your delicious dining destination.

4. Management and organization

Effective management and organization are critical for success in the restaurant sector. This section of your business plan introduces the talented individuals who will lead your restaurant to new heights.

Outline your legal structure, whether it’s an S corporation, limited partnership, or sole proprietorship, providing key information for stakeholders.

Showcase your management team using an organizational chart to highlight their roles, responsibilities, and contributions. Their expertise and guidance are crucial for seamless operations and exceptional customer experiences.

With a strong management team in place, your restaurant is poised for success. They are the driving force behind your journey to greatness. Let’s meet the key players who will make it happen!

Streamline your operations and optimize your financial performance With resOs , you can efficiently manage reservations, track inventory, analyze sales data, and streamline your overall workflow. Get your FREE plan

5. Sample “yummy” Menu 

In the restaurant industry, your menu plays a main role as the core product. Include a section in your business plan that highlights key details about your menu offerings to engage readers.

If you offer a diverse range of dishes, provide a brief overview of each category. Alternatively, if your menu focuses on specific specialties or signature dishes, provide more detailed descriptions for each item.

You can also mention any upcoming menu additions or unique culinary creations that will enhance profitability and attract customers.

6. Design and branding 

When it comes to starting a restaurant, don’t underestimate the power of design and branding. They’re the secret ingredients that can make your establishment truly stand out. Think about it – when customers walk through your front door, what do they see? The right design and branding can instantly captivate their attention and make them feel right at home.

So, take some time to envision the overall aesthetic and mood you want to create.

Do you imagine a cozy and rustic setting or a sleek and modern vibe?

Let your creativity shine through! Include captivating photos of similar restaurants that inspire you and give potential investors a glimpse of your vision.

And don’t forget about your logo! If you’ve already designed one, proudly showcase it in your business plan. It’s the visual representation of your restaurant’s personality and will help establish brand recognition.

resOS’ customizable interface for your booking system

Stand out in the competitive restaurant industry with resOS’ customizable booking management system . Personalize every aspect of the interface to reflect your restaurant’s unique brand identity. Seamlessly integrate your logo, colors, and visual elements, creating a cohesive and immersive experience for your guests. With resOS, you have the power to revolutionize your restaurant’s image and leave a lasting impression.

Details matter too! Share your plans for specific design elements , from the choice of furniture to the color palette that will adorn your space. The more you paint a vivid picture, the more investors and customers will be enticed by your unique ambiance.

7. Location

For a restaurant, location can make or break the business. Occasionally, a restaurant concept is so good that people go out of their way to find it. But, more realistically, your location needs to be convenient for your target market. If it’s hard for your customers to get to you, hard for them to park, and not something they notice as they drive by, they’re unlikely to check your restaurant out.

In your business plan, make sure to discuss the potential locations that you hope to occupy, assuming you haven’t already secured the location. Explain why the location is ideal for your target market and how the location will help attract customers.

Unlock the potential of your restaurant’s location and streamline reservations with resOS. Our platform offers seamless integration with Reserve With Google , allowing customers to easily discover and book tables directly from Google search results and maps. By enabling this feature, you’ll maximize your restaurant’s visibility and attract more diners with just a few clicks. Experience the power of location-based reservations with resOS .

Be sure to explain the complete costs of your location and what kinds of renovations will be necessary to open your restaurant.

8. Marketing plan

In today’s competitive restaurant industry, it’s important to showcase your marketing strategy to investors. They want to know how you’ll create buzz and keep it going before and after your grand opening.

Create a winning business plan with a strong marketing focus. Our Restaurant Business Plan Steps Graphic (👆 see above) is your visual guide, including key marketing strategies. Download or save for later and plan your path to success.

Whether you’ve enlisted a top-notch Marketing company or have a solid ready-to-go marketing plan, highlight your chosen path. Discuss the unique strengths of your selected agency and why they stand out, including their notable clients. Alternatively, showcase your in-house plan, leveraging social media, your website, and valuable media connections.

A well-crafted marketing plan holds the key to differentiating your restaurant and attracting customers. Prepare to tantalize taste buds and offer an exceptional dining experience. Stay in tune with the latest restaurant industry trends, leverage effective marketing tools, and optimize your online presence. 

Lastly, integrate a robust restaurant booking system to streamline reservations and enhance the overall customer experience. With these strategic elements in place, success is within your reach.

9. Financial Plan

Financial analysis is a crucial part of your restaurant’s business plan. It helps investors assess the profitability of your concept and whether it’s a worthwhile investment. In this section, you’ll outline how you plan to allocate your funds in the first year and provide projections for costs and revenues.

Here are the 🔑 key components to include:

Investment Plan: Explain the initial investment costs, such as kitchen equipment, furniture, employee wages, legal fees, marketing expenses, and working capital. This shows how you’ll use your funds effectively.

Profit and Loss Projection: Estimate your restaurant’s costs and sales figures in the profit and loss statement. Consider factors like the size of your establishment, your target market, and the existing competition in your chosen location.

Break-Even Analysis: Show investors the monthly revenue you need to achieve to cover all your expenses and reach profitability. This analysis considers overhead costs, operational expenses, and factors that may affect revenue fluctuations throughout the year.

Claim your FREE plan on resOS today! Ready to revolutionize your business management? Join resos.com for FREE and take control of your operations. ✅ Seamless calendar integration ✅ Customizable booking forms ✅ Automated reminders ✅ Real-time availability updates Don’t miss out! Sign up now at resos.com and experience stress-free scheduling. Your time is valuable, so claim your FREE plan today!

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Write a business plan

Download free business plan templates and find help and advice on how to write your business plan.

Business plan templates

Download a free business plan template on The Prince’s Trust website.

You can also download a free cash flow forecast template or a business plan template on the Start Up Loans website to help you manage your finances.

Business plan examples

Read example business plans on the Bplans website.

How to write a business plan

Get detailed information about how to write a business plan on the Start Up Donut website.

Why you need a business plan

A business plan is a written document that describes your business. It covers objectives, strategies, sales, marketing and financial forecasts.

A business plan helps you to:

• clarify your business idea
• spot potential problems
• set out your goals
• measure your progress

You’ll need a business plan if you want to secure investment or a loan from a bank. Read about the finance options available for businesses on the Business Finance Guide website.

It can also help to convince customers, suppliers and potential employees to support you.

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Free Simple Business Plan Template

Our experts

Written and reviewed by:.

Our independent reviews are funded in part by affiliate commissions, at no extra cost to our readers.

Your business plan is the document that adds structure to your proposal and helps you focus your objectives on an achievable and realistic target. It should cover every aspect of what your business journey will look like, from licensing and revenue, to competitor and sector analysis.

Writing a business plan doesn’t need to be a difficult process, but it should take at least a month to be done properly.

In today’s capricious business climate there’s a lot to consider, such as the impact of political challenges like Brexit. These details are especially important in today’s bad economy. Investors are looking for entrepreneurs who are aware of the challenges ahead and how to properly plan for them.

Below, you’ll find everything you need to create a concise, specific and authoritative business plan. So let’s get started turning your idea into a reality!

Click here to download your free Business Plan template PDF – you can fill in your own details and those of your business, its target market, your customers, competitors and your vision for growth.

Our below guide will give you detailed advice on how to write a quality business plan, and our PDF download above can give you a clear template to work through.

But, creating an effective business plan needs….planning! That’s where a high quality planning tool can help.

We recommend creating an account with monday to use this tool – there’s even a free trial . Doing so means you can start your entrepreneurial journey on the right foot.

Get the latest startup news, straight to your inbox

Stay informed on the top business stories with Startups.co.uk’s weekly newsletter

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What to include in your business plan template

There’s a lot of information online about how to write a business plan – making it a confusing task to work out what is and isn’t good advice.

We’re here to cut through the noise by telling you exactly what you need to include for a business plan that will satisfy stakeholders and help develop a key identity for your brand. By the end, you’ll have a plan to make even Alan Sugar proud and can get started with the most exciting part – running your business.

Throughout this guide, we’ve featured an example business plan template for a new restaurant opening in Birmingham called ‘The Plew’. In each section, you’ll be able to see what the contents we’re describing would look like in a ‘real-life’ document.

What to include in your business plan:

• Executive Summary
• Personal summary
• Business idea
• Your product or service
• Market analysis
• Competitor analysis
• Cash forecast
• Operations and logistics
• Backup plan
• Top tips for writing a business plan
• Business plan template UK FAQs

1. Executive summary

This section is a summary of your entire business plan. Because of this, it is a good idea to write it at the end of your plan, not the beginning.

Just as with the overall business plan, the executive summary should be clearly written and powerfully persuasive, yet it should balance sales talk with realism in order to be convincing. It should be no more than 1,000 words.

It should cover:

• Mission statement  – what is your company’s purpose?
• Business idea and opportunity – what unique selling point (USP) will you provide?
• Business model – how will your business operate?
• Business objectives – what are you aiming to achieve?
• Target market – who is your customer base?
• Management team – who are the owners/senior staff?
• Competition – who are you competing against?
• Financial summary – can you prove the business will be profitable?
• Marketing strategy – what is your marketing plan and associated costs?
• Timeline – how long will it take to launch/grow your new business?

It sounds like a lot – but don’t feel you have to spend hours putting this together. Here’s what the above information for an executive summary might look like when put into our example business plan template for ‘The Plew’:

Startups’ business plan template example: executive summary

2. Personal summary

Investors want to know who they’re investing in, as much as what. This is where you tell people who you are, and why you’re starting your business.

Outline your general contact details first, giving your telephone number, email address, website or portfolio, and any professional social media profiles you might have.

Run through this checklist to tell the reader more about yourself, and put your business ambitions into context.

• What skills/qualifications do you have?
• What are you passionate about?
• What is/are your area(s) of industry expertise?
• Why do you want to run your own business?

Here’s what our two fictional co-founders of ‘The Plew’ might write in their personal summaries for our example business plan. CEO Gabrielle Shelby, has highlighted her expertise in the restaurant industry, while CFO Freya Moore outlines her accounting and finance knowledge.

Startups’ business plan template example: personal summary

Richard Osborne, founder and CEO of UK Business Forums, says personality is important in a business plan.

“Having a strong, personal reason at the heart of your business model will help keep you going and give you the motivation to carry on,” he affirms.

3. Business idea

This section is essentially to offer a general outline of what your business idea is, and why it brings something new to the market.

Here, you should include your general company details, such as your business name and a  one-line summary of your business idea known as an  elevator pitch. This section should also list a few key business objectives to show how you plan to scale over the next 1-3 years.

We also recommend carrying out a SWOT analysis to tell investors what the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are for your business idea. Think about:

• Strengths: ie. why is this a good time to enter the sector?
• Weaknesses: ie. what market challenges might you encounter?
• Opportunities: ie. what demand is your product/service meeting in today’s market?
• Threats: ie. how will the business be financed to maintain liquidity?

In the template below, you can see a breakdown of the above information for ‘The Plew’. At the top is its mission statement: “to craft an unforgettable dining experience in a chic atmosphere.”

Startups’ business plan template example: business idea

Need a business idea? We’ve crunched the numbers and come up with a list of the best business ideas for startup success in 2023 based on today’s most popular and growing industries.

4. Your products or services

Now it’s time to explain what you are selling to customers and how will you produce your sales offering.

Use this section to answer all of the below questions and explain what you plan to sell and how. Just like your business idea outline, your answers should be concise and declarative.

• What product(s) or service(s) will you sell?
• Do you plan to offer new products or services in the future?
• How much does the product or service cost to produce/deliver?
• What is your pricing strategy ?
• What sales channels will you use?
• Are there legal requirements to start this business?
• What about insurance requirements?
• What is the growth potential for the product or service?
• What are the challenges? eg. if you’re looking to sell abroad, acknowledge the potential delays caused by post-Brexit regulations.

What insurance and licensing requirements do you need to consider?

Depending on what your business offers, you might need to invest in insurance or licensing. Our How To Start guides have more details about sector-specific insurance or licensing.

Public Liability, Professional Indemnity, and Employers’ Liability are the most well-known types of business insurance. We’ve listed some other common other licensing and insurance requirements below:

In our example product/service page for ‘The Plew”s business plan, the founders choose to separate this information into multiple pages. Below, they outline their cost and pricing, as well as sales strategy. But they also include an example menu, to offer something a bit more unique and tantalising to the reader:

Startups’ business plan template example: product list and pricing strategy

5. Market analysis

This section demonstrates your understanding of the market you are entering, and any challenges you will likely face when trying to establish your company.

This section pulls all of your target market and customer research together to indicate to stakeholders that you are knowledgable about the sector and how to succeed in it.

• Who is your typical customer and where are they are based? Describe the profile of your expected customers eg. average age, location, budget, interests, etc.
• How many customers will your business reach? Outline the size of your market, and the share of the market that your business can reach.
• Have you sold any products/services to customers already? If yes, describe these sales. If no, have people expressed interest in buying your products or services?
• What have you learned about the market from desk-based research? What are the industry’s current challenges, and how has it been affected by the economic downturn?
• What have you learned about the market from field research? (eg. feedback from market testing like customer questionnaires or focus group feedback).

What is your marketing strategy?

Once you’ve highlighted who your rivals are in the market, you can provide details on how you plan to stand out from them through your marketing strategy. Outline your  business’ USP, your current marketing strategy, and any associated advertising costs.

‘The Plew’ identifies its target audience as young, adventurous people in their mid-30s. Because of the restaurant’s premium service offering, its audience works in a well-paid sector like tech:

Startups’ business plan template example: customer analysis

6. Competitor analysis

This section demonstrates how well you know the key players and rivals in the industry. It should show the research you have carried out in a table format.

Begin by listing the key information about your competitors. Don’t worry about sounding too critical, or too positive. Try to prioritise accuracy above all else.

• Business size
• Product/service offering
• Sales channels
• Strengths/weaknesses

Competitors will take two forms, either direct  or  indirect. Direct competitors sell the same or similar products or services. Indirect competitors sell substitute or alternative products or services.

Here’s a breakdown of the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities, and threats presented by a competitor restaurant for ‘The Plew’ called Eateria 24. At the bottom, the founders have written what learnings they can take from the chart.

Startups’ business plan template example: competitor analysis

Check out our list of the top competitor analysis templates to download free resources for your business, plus advice on what to include and how to get started.

7. Cash forecast

Outline your financial outlook including how much you expect to spend, and make, in your first year

All of your considered costs can be put into one easy-to-read document called a monthly cash forecast. Cash forecasts contain:

1. Incoming costs such as sales revenue, customer account fees, or funding.

2. Outgoing costs such as staff wages or operating expenses. The latter can cover everything from advertising costs to office supplies.

For those firms which have already started trading, include any previous year’s accounts (up to three years) as well as details of any outstanding loans or assets.

Annual cash forecast: what is it?

By conducting 12 monthly cash forecasts, you can create an annual cash forecast to work out when your company will become profitable (also known as breakeven analysis) . You will break even when total incoming costs = total outgoing costs.

In your annual cost budget, make sure to also include month opening/closing balance.  This is important to monitor for accounting, particularly for year-end.

• Opening balance = the amount of cash at the beginning of the month
• Closing balance = the amount of cash at the end of the month

The opening balance of any month will always be the same as the closing balance of the previous month. If you are repeatedly opening months with a negative closing balance, you need to adjust your spending. Here’s an example of what ‘The Plew’s financials might look like in its first year of operation:

Startups’ business plan template example: cash forecast

8. Operations and logistics

Explain how your day-to-day business activities will be run, including key business partnerships around production and delivery.

A.) Production

List all of the behind the scenes information about how your business will operate. Include:

• Management team – who do you plan to hire as senior staff and why?
• Premises –  where will you be based? What will be the cost?
• Materials –  what materials/equipment will you need to make your product/service?
• Staffing –  how many employees will you hire? How much will they cost?
• Insurance – what insurance do you need for production?

B.) Delivery

Detail how your customers will receive your product or service. Include:

• Distribution –  how will you sell your product to customers?
• Transport –  how will you transport the product/service to customers or partners?
• Insurance –  what insurance do you need for delivery?

C.) Supplier analysis

Lastly, you should carry out a supplier analysis.  Write down 2-3 suppliers you plan to use as part of your business operations and evaluate them on factors like location and pricing.

In our example business plan for ‘The Plew’, the founders have chosen to present this information in an easily-digestible chart, breaking down the leadership and employees into two different areas: product development and operations.

Startups’ business plan template example: staffing section

9. Backup plan

Explain how you will manage any surprise losses if your cash forecast does not go to plan.

In the event that your business does not go to plan, there will be costs to incur. A backup plan outlines to potential investors how you will pay back any outstanding loans or debt.

In the short-term: 

If your cash-flow temporarily stalls, what steps could you take to quickly raise money or make savings? For example, by negotiating shorter payment terms with your customers.

In the long-term:

If you’ve noticed a drop in sales that seems to be persisting, what changes can you make that would improve cash flow longer term? For example, can you do more of your business online to reduce rent fees?

To placate investors even further, it’s a good idea to include details about potential support channels you can utilise (eg. a business network or contact) who might be able to help if you get caught in a sticky cash-flow situation.

Startups’ 5 top tips for writing a business plan

• Keep your predictions realistic. Your business plan should showcase your knowledge of the sector and what’s achievable. It’s not about impressing investors with big numbers or meaningless buzzwords.
• Don’t go over 15 pages. Business plans should be engaging, which means sticking to the point and avoiding a lot of long-winded sentences. Keep your executive summary to less than 1,000 words, for example.
• End with supporting documents. Use your appendix to include product diagrams or detailed research findings if these are helpful to your business case.
• Get a second pair of eyes. Everyone misses a spelling error or two – invite a trusted business contact or associate to look over your business plan before you send it anywhere.
• Leave enough time to write! It’s exciting to think about getting your business up and running – but planning is an important step that can’t be rushed over. Spend at least a month on writing to get all the details correct and laid-out.

At Startups.co.uk, we’re here to help small UK businesses to get started, grow and succeed. We have practical resources for helping new businesses get off the ground – use the tool below to get started today.

What Does Your Business Need Help With?

Designing a business plan is very important for laying the foundation of your business. Ensure you spend an appropriate amount of time filling it out, as it could save you many headaches further down the line.

Once your plan is complete, you’ll then be ready to look at other aspects of business set-up, such as registering your company. Sound daunting? Don’t worry!

Our experts have pulled together a simple, comprehensive guide on How to Start a Business in 2024, which will tell you everything you need to know to put your new plan into action.

• Can I write a business plan myself? Absolutely! There are plenty of resources available to help, but the truth is a business plan needs to reflect the owner's personal ambitions and passion - which is why entrepreneurs are best-placed to write their own.
• How long should a business plan be? We recommend your business plan is kept to a maximum of 15 pages. Keep it short and concise - your executive summary, for example, should be no more than 1,000 words.
• Is it OK to copy a business plan? While not technically illegal, copying a business plan will leave you in a poor position to attract investment. Customising your plan to your unique business idea and industry specialism is the best way to persuade stakeholders that you have a winning startup formula.

Startups.co.uk is reader-supported. If you make a purchase through the links on our site, we may earn a commission from the retailers of the products we have reviewed. This helps Startups.co.uk to provide free reviews for our readers. It has no additional cost to you, and never affects the editorial independence of our reviews.

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Restaurant Small Business Idea and Business Plan

Starting your own small business in the UK isn’t easy but having a properly developed business plan will help you achieve success.

To start a Restaurant business in the UK, take the time and explain the idea via a business plan.

Understanding all of the aspects of the business idea will be the key to getting the Restaurant business running like a well-oiled machine. The business plan you develop will help you organize the elements needed into a strategy that you can actually use to startup, by paving a clear road map as to what you need to follow for the lifespan of your business.

Starting a Restaurant business isn’t easy, but when done right, it can lead to a lot of success.

To help you get started, you can use the free business plan builder tool to develop your own Restaurant business plan.

The business plan template is very easy to use, is interactive and will quickly and easily help you create your business plan just by answering the needed questions about your small business idea.

Create your own Restaurant business plan for free using the Business Plan Builder

The free business plan template builder is divided into a few easy to follow steps.

The free business plan builder template is provided by UKStartups.org to help you develop your own business plan. For step by step guidance, see the 5 steps below.

Once completed, the result will be a clean, professional plan that will help you start your own Restaurant small business in the UK.

When you have completed your Restaurant business plan, the next step will be to find available funding that will help, or to speak with a funding adviser who will assist you each step of the way to securing the needed funds to make your Restaurant business startup.

If you are looking to limit your startup costs when starting up a Restaurant small business in the UK, this free business plan builder tool will be it.

Starting a Restaurant business is only one of the ways others have used this free business plan tool. There are hundreds of different ideas you can start, and if you need guidance, do reach out to a UKStartups expert to get the needed assistance and guidance.

Step 1. Your business information

To develop a proper Restaurant business plan with the free business plan builder template, it is important to answer each of the questions about your business to the best of your abilities.

What is your business? What are the products/services you provide? Who are your customers? What are your goals…etc?

Having a clear explanation will help you create a in-depth business plan that you can actually use to start the Restaurant business and to apply for needed funding to cover your startup costs.

Step 2. Projecting your revenues/income

The Restaurant industry can have great results. Planning and projecting the financial figures to approximate what you will make each year is crucial to building a strong business plan.

What do you think your business will make from each of its products/services? Simply list your products/services, enter the appropriate financial figures (costs and expenses).

If you don’t have the figures, in many cases it is recommended to do a a bit more research on other Restaurant businesses locally and within your own region to get an idea of potential revenue. You can do your best to estimate the figures and growth potential.

If you need assistance in projecting, you can always contact UK Startups funding experts for the help.

Step 3. Your business market

As a Restaurant business, having a clear explanation of the market and industry that you are in will help you plan for the figure and will ensure you can take the business to the next level.

Explain your location of business, share specifics about your customers, showcase your competition and explain the advantages you have over your competition.

Step 4. The future plan

Starting your own Restaurant business and getting it off the ground is important to you.

No matter if you’re planning on applying for government funding for your Restaurant business or not, it is important to plan out the future and provide an explanation of how you will grow the business. This means explaining your marketing plan, your sales strategy and clearly outlining a growth plan for the next few years.

Be sure to break this down step by step to show how you intend on making sure your Restaurant business can grow each year.

Keep in mind that often business plans are focused on key people. Be sure to discuss yourself, your role and any other key figures in the business as well.

Step 5. The financials

In the end, it all comes down to the financials. If you are seeking funding, or not – the business plan you develop needs to have clearly defined financials or projections. The business plan builder tool makes it easy to develop your financial charts by simply entering your expected revenues per month and year. If you don’t have the figures as it’s a new business be sure to project the figures based on your expectations. If you need help with this, ask the UK Startups experts .

A clear breakdown of your funding needs is also recommended in case you are seeking funding and this free business plan template will help you with exactly that. When developing your Restaurant business plan using this free template, the above 5 steps are recommended in order to succeed. While there are other key points that will assist you in starting your business, finding funding...etc, the free template will help put you on the right path

Be sure to request a professional to review your business plan , to answer any questions you may have and to help you with the funding search once you’ve done the initial free template. You can request this directly via UKStartups.org and through the Small Business Startup Platform as a member.

If starting a Restaurant business is just one of your ideas, perhaps considering other options, here are some popular small business’s others have chosen to startup

• Meat Wholesaler
• Arts Organization
• Saab Dealer
• Radiator Repair Service
• Taekwondo School

INSTANT ACCESS - April Government Funding Options

See ALL government funding options now

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Money: Manifestation warning as people swear it's bagged them '£2,000 in bank account'

We delve into the world of manifestation - but will a one-day course help our reporter land some extra cash and an engagement ring? Enjoy our weekend reads, and leave a comment, below, and we'll be back with all the latest personal finance and consumer news on Monday.

Saturday 27 April 2024 13:45, UK

Weekend Money

• '£2,000 landed in my account' - The people who say they're manifesting riches
• Iceland's new slogan and cash for grades: What our readers said this week
• Calculate how much your take-home pay will change this month with national insurance reduction
• Why are mortgage rates going up?

Best of the week

• The world of dark tourism - what is it, is it ethical and where can you go?
• Virgin Media customers share their bad experiences of customer service
• More Britons paying inheritance tax after chancellor freezes threshold - so how can you beat it?
• 'More important than a will': What are lasting power of attorneys and how much do they cost?
• 'I have a mortgage offer - will it change now rates are rising?'

Ask a question or make a comment

By Jess Sharp , Money team

My journey into the world of manifestation (the belief that you can attract success in your life through positive affirmations and visualisation) has taken me places I never thought I'd go.

Like woods in Edenbridge, where I stood meditating under a tree in the pouring rain. I don't yet know where my journey will end (I've been hoping for an engagement ring but my boyfriend hasn't yet seen my visualisations), but it started with a conversation with Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, one of many people who say manifestation has transformed their lives.

"About a year ago, there was something happening and I thought we just need two grand to cover the expense," Jamie, a former dancer from London, told me. "The following day £2,000 landed in my account."

It sounded like a coincidence to me, too.

But Jamie was adamant. His husband calls him "the master manifester" because of his "ability to bring in money".

"It's happened on so many occasions, like four, five times," he said. "I've become very clear on what I want and the amount of money I need and literally it can be within 24 hours that I get a phone call for a job and it's almost identical to what I asked for money-wise."

When I asked the now-psychic where the £2,000 actually came from, he said it was payment for a modelling job he had been offered.

"With manifesting you don't get caught up in the how, and often it comes in ways that you don't expect," he added, explaining it could come as the result of a claim after being in a car crash.

"It's not always coming in the way that you think but money is out there for us to take in the world. It's just having the confidence to receive it and we are worthy of it."

"Even if it is a placebo effect, does it matter?" he said.

The 43-year-old also believes he manifested his husband Fiongal after being diagnosed with cancer. While going through treatment and dating "a lot" of people, he decided to take matters into his own hands, or rather his own head, and started visualising his perfect partner.

"I decided to spend a good couple of weeks getting really, really, super clear in my mind what this person looked like. Then I started creating lists asking about personality traits, and all the things that I wanted that person to be," the former dancer said.

"The day I got the all clear from cancer I randomly met my husband and when I look at the list of the things I asked for, he pretty much ticks every single box. I really, really believe that is because I got super clear on what I wanted and I put that out to the universe to bring to me."

Jim Carrey and manifestation

If you think this is a new practice, it isn't. Jim Carrey was doing it back in the 90s. He famously wrote himself a $10m cheque for "acting services rendered" and dated it years in advance. Then in 1995, he was told he was going to make the exact amount for filming Dumb and Dumber.

The idea shot up in popularity again in 2006 after Rhonda Byrne published her self-help book The Secret.

Since then, it has hit every inch of the internet and has resurfaced on TikTok with videos posted under #manifesting accumulating a huge 13 billion views.

I tried to learn manifesting - I felt like an idiot

After hearing Jamie's story and seeing the idea was popular with so many people, I thought it best to try to learn manifestation myself. I mean, who wouldn't want money landing in their account and a work promotion from the universe?

As I stood in the woods, in the pouring rain, being told to imagine roots growing from the soles of my feet, I felt like an idiot.

I was soaking wet (of course I had forgotten a coat with a hood) and while my mind kept wandering through thoughts about being cold, if I'd hit traffic on the way home and how dirty my white trainers were getting, a gentle, soothing voice kept bringing me back to what I was supposed to be thinking about.

"How we are all connected, how the trees and plants produce oxygen that we breathe, and we breathe out carbon dioxide which they need to survive"

While some people focus their manifestation practices on being grateful to the universe, Tansy Jane Dowman believes we need to get "out of our heads, into our bodies", connect with nature and find our true selves before we can practice it successfully.

My meditation in the woods was just one part of a six-hour workshop run by Tansy, which aimed to send me off with a clearer vision of what I truly desired.

Tansy charges anywhere from £25 to £580 for her courses, which range from one-on-one sessions and an online six-week programme, to forest bathing workshops and weekend-long nature retreats.

But some courses have popped up online which cost more than £1,000.

Tansy started practising manifestation in 2018 after going through a difficult period in her life. She eventually quit her job in events management and started teaching others how to do it successfully.

"The way I manifest is not to focus on material wealth or gain. I would ask my clients what an abundant life means to them in terms of feelings, experiences, connections, people and places," she explained.

"The more authentic you are, the more of a beacon you become for those things to find you."

After spending time walking in the rain and meditating under a tree, Tansy and I sat in her dining room and explored some of the happiest moments in my life and the feelings I experienced. It became clear I like feeling accomplished, needed and excited.

We also spoke about challenging times, but the conversation focused on the positives, like how I had overcome them and what I had learned.

"It's so important to bring in your values with manifestation because sometimes we can get really confused with what we want, with social media especially," she told me.

Throughout her house, Tansy has a number of "abundance boards" proudly on display - some she has made with her children, others are from her annual January tradition of setting out her desires for the year.

"I've had some really wonderful goosebump things happen to me. I did a board at the beginning of 2020... I put a picture of a microphone on it. I just thought I really like that image and I didn't immediately place any meaning onto it," she said.

"Then as the world was shutting down for lockdown, I did a press event and I met a lady who worked for Wellbeing Radio and she wondered if I would be interested in trying out as a presenter."

She explained that some people will be very specific with their desires, like selecting a photo of the exact car they want, or the perfect house, but that isn't how manifestation works. There needs to be an element of trust in the universe giving them what they attract.

As we created my abundance board, which Tansy describes as being like a "personal algorithm", she told me to select images and words from heaps of magazines that called to me intuitively.

As you can see from the picture below, mine calls for being "financially fabulous", travelling, getting engaged (coughs loudly in earshot of boyfriend) and living stress-free.

And while I'd love a big cash injection, Tansy explained to me that money is "only a stepping stone to a feeling" and, ultimately, I'm aiming to create an emotion with it.

Manifesters more likely to go bankrupt

While all the manifestation believers I spoke to said there was no downside to the practice, a researcher has been looking into whether it really does pay off.

Based in Australia, Dr Lucas Dixon (who specialises in consumer psychology) created a scale from one to seven to rank a person's strength of belief and found those who practice it are more likely to have been victims of fraud and declared bankruptcy.

He said there was a "danger" that manifesting could become harmful if taken to an extreme level.

He found those who believe in manifesting tend to think more positively and have a confident attitude when it comes to success, and while that can be helpful in business, it can also cause them to take unnecessary risks.

"They weren't more objectively successful in terms of having higher income or higher education attainment," he said.

"We also found that they are more likely to believe in get-rich-quick schemes, more likely to take higher risks... to have risky financial investments and more likely to have investments in cryptocurrency rather than traditional stock."

Using the scale he created, Dr Dixon found those who have "very strong beliefs", ranking at a seven, were 40% more likely to have gone bankrupt.

"The danger comes in a couple of different forms," he said, explaining that a "worst case scenario" could see people getting into financial difficulty by being encouraged to "just look at the positives".

"Someone might say it's not harmful because it is really just thinking positively but I think even that can be harmful because of what you might call an opportunity cost," he said.

"You're spending time, energy and money doing something that doesn't have a lot of evidence behind it. We found it does make you feel good but you don't need to pay thousands to do it."

Okay, so back to me...

I did my manifestation course about two months ago, and I have done as I was instructed - my abundance board is up in sight inside the flat, and I often have a cup of coffee in front of it.

But, so far I'm still using a credit card, the most travelling I've done has been to work and back and there is still no rock on my finger. I have been given an annual pay rise, though, and would say I am less stressed.

Perhaps believing that I'm just doing my best and there's a chance that I'll be rewarded for that one day, eventually, in the future, maybe, is making me feel better... who knows?

Each week, Money blog readers share their thoughts on the subjects we've been covering, and over the last seven days your correspondence has been dominated by these topics...

• Iceland's new slogan
• Rising mortgage rates
• Giving kids cash for grades

Iceland's new catchphrase

We learnt on Monday that Iceland had dropped its tagline "That's why mums go to Iceland", replacing it with "That's why we go to Iceland".

The move was made to reflect the store is for everybody, said brand ambassador Josie Gibson. Readers were split - with some feeling so strongly that they're prepared, they suggest, to sacrifice those frozen Greggs steak bakes forever...

I previously contacted Iceland about their slogan because I didn't think it did single dads justice, as dads can go to Iceland too. Their response was that people understood that it's not just mums that go to Iceland. It's about time they changed the message. Dave T  

Neither I, my wife or my children will shop in Iceland again due to this stupidness and woke attitude. To hell with you [Iceland boss] Richard Walker. John  

Banks hike mortgage rates

This week we reported that high street lenders such as Halifax, TSB, NatWest, Barclays, Leeds Building Society, HSBC and Coventry had all hiked mortgage rates. 

You said...

With house prices at already extortionate levels, now mortgage rates rising again, is there any hope for first-time buyers? Honestly, the situation is so bleak, people may need to consider other countries. GenZ 

Why would this happen? So many young couples struggling to get on the property ladder. I live in Dorset - a one-bedroom flat costs from £230,000. In Scotland, one can get a beautiful two-bed house for that price. Feel sorry for all couples living down in the South. Need huge deposits. Barbs

Why are they called high-street banks? Most banks in my town have closed. Martin J

Parents offering cash for good grades

A lot of views came in after our feature exploring the positives and negatives of parents incentivising good school grades with cash...

We had scores of comments on this - with a fairly even split...

We did it for our son at GCSE time. We think it made a difference of about a grade on most subjects. Got a two-grade lift on maths. Cost us £350. Thought it was good value as it has taught him how things work in the world. Andy

The whole world is built on a reward system which symbolises access to money commensurate with effort and excellence. The Nobel prize goes with a cash reward! Tom Deggs

Employees are offered incentives for achieving targets, so why not offer kids incentives for better grades? Claire228 

But others had concerns...

I think it puts too much pressure on kids who are under enough pressure at exam time. Parents should encourage their kids to do the best they can, not add to their stress levels. Emma

Children should value their education without it being monetised. My parents expected my brother and I to have the motivation, maturity and self-discipline to work hard for our GCSEs. We both achieved all As and A*s. Eliza 

When I was at school, from 1964-83, my parents never gave me money for good exam results, because "I should want to do well for myself". No matter what my grades were, they said that they would be proud of me if I had tried my best. Cash kills self-motivation. Nicola B 

National insurance was cut this month, for the second time this year, from 10% to 8% on employee earnings between £12,570 and £50,270.

The change, announced by the chancellor in his March budget, impacts around 27 million payroll employees across the UK - starting this pay day.

The cut is worth almost £250 to someone earning £25,000 a year and almost £750 for those earning £50,000

Use our tool below for a rough guide to what tax changes can be expected for most people, as there are other variables not included which might affect how much tax you pay including being in receipt of the blind person's allowance or the marriage allowance. It also assumes you are not self-employed and are under pension age...

There are also national insurance cuts for the self-employed. This includes the scrapping of Class 2 contributions, as well as a reduction of the rate of Class 4 contributions from 9% to 6% for the £12,570 to £50,270 earnings bracket.

These will impact nearly two million self-employed people, according to the Treasury.

While many campaigners welcomed the national insurance announcement last month, they pointed out that the tax burden remains at record high levels for Britons - thanks in part to the threshold at which people start paying income tax being frozen, rather than rising with inflation.

The money story of the week has been mortgage rates - with a host of major lenders announcing hikes amid fears the Bank of England may delay interest rate cuts.

Swap rates - which dictate how much it costs to lend money - have risen on the back of higher than expected US inflation data, and concerns this could delay interest rate cuts there. 

US trends often materialise elsewhere - though many economists are still expecting a base rate cut from 5.25% to 5% in the UK in June.

The reliable Bloomberg reported this week: "Still, while some economists have since scaled back their predictions for BOE cuts, most haven't changed expectations for a summer move.

"Analysts at Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs Group, Capital Economics and Bloomberg Economics are all among those still anticipating a shift toward easing in June."

The publication also quoted Sanjay Raja, chief UK economist at Deutsche Bank, as saying: "Markets have superimposed the US cycle on the UK, but the US and UK are on very different tracks.

"The UK is coming out of technical recession. Inflation is falling more convincingly. Pay settlements are following inflation expectations. And crucially, real policy rates in the UK will be higher than in the US."

None of this reassurance changes the fact that financial markets, which dictate swap rates, are pricing in delays.

This week's hikes came from Halifax, BM Solutions, TSB, NatWest, Virgin, Barclays, Accord, Leeds Building Society, HSBC and Coventry.

This is what average mortgage rates looked like as of Thursday...

The next Bank of England decision on rates comes on 9 May - and pretty much no one is expecting a cut from the 16-year high of 5.25% at that stage.

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

The family home where Captain Sir Tom Moore walked 100 laps to raise nearly £40m for the NHS during the first COVID lockdown is up for sale for £2.25m.

The Grade II-listed Old Rectory is described as a "magnificent seven-bedroom property" by estate agents Fine & Country.

In a video tour of the house, a sculpture of Captain Tom with his walking frame can be seen in the hallway, while a photo of the fundraising hero being knighted by the Queen is on a wall in the separate coach house building.

Introducing the property, an estate agent says in the tour video: "I'm sure you'll recognise this iconic and very famous driveway behind me as it was home to the late Captain Sir Tom Moore who walked 100 laps of his garden, raising over £37m for NHS charities."

It comes less than three months after the demolition of an unauthorised spa pool block in the grounds of the property in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire.

Speaking at an appeal hearing over that spa, Scott Stemp, representing Captain Tom's daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband, said the foundation named after the fundraising hero "is to be closed down" following a Charity Commission probe launched amid concerns about its management.

For the full story, click here ...

"Status symbol" pets are being given up by owners who get scared as they grow up, an animal charity has said, with the cost of living possibly paying a part in a rise in separations.

The Exotic Pet Refuge, which homes parrots, monkeys, snakes and alligators among others, says it receives referrals across the country, including from zoos and the RSPCA.

"They're a status symbol. People will say, 'OK, I'll have an alligator or a 10ft boa constrictor'," co-owner Pam Mansfield told the BBC.

"But when the animal gets big, they will get too frightened to handle them, and then the pet has to go."

She added people who want to get rid of the pets sometimes call zoos for help, which then call on her charity.

In some cases, owners don't have licences to own dangerous animals, she says, blaming a "lack of understanding" for what she says is a rise in the number of exotic animals needing to be rehomed.

She says people "just don't have the space" for some snakes, for example, with some growing to as much as 12ft and needing their own room.

The cost of living crisis has also forced owners to give their pets away, she says.

Her charity has also been affected by those increased costs, with the electricity bill rising to £10,000 a month at their highest, to fund things like heated pools for alligators.

Private car parks are accused of "confusing drivers" after introducing a new code of conduct - despite "doing all they can" to prevent an official government version.

The code of practice launched by two industry bodies - British Parking Association and the International Parking Community - includes a ten-minute grace period for motorists to leave a car park after the parking period they paid for ends.

It also features requirements for consistent signage, a single set of rules for operators on private land and an "appeals charter".

Private parking businesses have been accused of using misleading and confusing signs, aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees.

That comes after a government-backed code of conduct was withdrawn in June 2022, after a legal challenges by parking companies.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: "We're flabbergasted that the BPA and the IPC have suddenly announced plans to introduce their own private parking code after doing all they can over the last five years to prevent the official government code created by an act of Parliament coming into force.

"While there are clearly some positive elements to what the private parking industry is proposing, it conveniently avoids some of the biggest issues around caps on penalty charges and debt recovery fees which badly need to be addressed to prevent drivers being taken advantage of."

BPA chief executive Andrew Pester said: "This is a crucial milestone as we work closely with government, consumer bodies and others to deliver fairer and more consistent parking standards for motorists."

IPC chief executive Will Hurley said: "The single code will benefit all compliant motorists and will present clear consequences for those who decide to break the rules."

Sky News has learnt the owner of Superdry's flagship store is weighing up a legal challenge to a rescue plan launched by the struggling fashion retailer.

M&G, the London-listed asset manager, has engaged lawyers from Hogan Lovells to scrutinise the restructuring plan.

The move by M&G, which owns the fashion retailer's 32,000 square foot Oxford Street store, will not necessarily result in a formal legal challenge - but sources say it's possible.

Read City editor Mark Kleinman 's story here...

NatWest says its mortgage lending nearly halved at the start of the year as it retreated from parts of the market when competition among lenders stepped up.

New mortgage lending totalled £5.2bn in the first three months of 2024, the banking group has revealed, down from £9.9bn the previous year.

The group, which includes Royal Bank of Scotland and Coutts, also reported an operating pre-tax profit of £1.3bn for the first quarter, down 27% from £1.8bn the previous year.

An unexplained flow of British luxury cars into states neighbouring Russia continued into February, new data shows.

About £26m worth of British cars were exported to Azerbaijan, making the former Soviet country the 17th biggest destination for UK cars - bigger than long-established export markets such as Ireland, Portugal and Qatar.

Azerbaijan's ascent has coincided almost to the month with the imposition of sanctions on the export of cars to Russia.

Read the rest of economics and data editor Ed Conway 's analysis here...

Rishi Sunak has hailed the arrival of pay day with a reminder his government's additional National Insurance tax cut kicks in this month for the first time.

At last month's budget, the chancellor announced NI will be cut by a further 2p - so some workers will pay 8% of their earnings instead of the 12% if was before autumn.

The prime minister has repeated his claim this will be worth £900 for someone on the average UK salary.

While this additional cut - on top of the previous 2p cut in January - does equate to £900 for those on average full-time earnings of £35,000, there are two key issues with Mr Sunak's claim:

• Once the effect of all income tax changes since 2021 are taken into account, the Institute for Fiscal Studies reports an average earner will benefit from a tax cut of £340 - far less than £900;
• Moreover, anyone earning less than £26,000 or between £55,000-£131,000 will ultimately be worse off.

In short, this is because NI cuts are more than offset by other tax rises.

We explain below how this is the case...

Tax thresholds

This is partly down to tax thresholds - the amount you are allowed to earn before you start paying tax (and national insurance) and before you start paying the higher rate of tax - will remain frozen. 

This means people end up paying more tax than they otherwise would, when their pay rises with inflation but the thresholds don't keep up. 

This phenomenon is known as "fiscal drag" and it's often called a stealth tax because it's not as noticeable immediately in your pay packet.

That low threshold of £12,570 has been in place since April 2021. 

The Office for Budget Responsibility says if it had increased with inflation it would be set at £15,220 for 2024/25.

If that were the case, workers could earn an extra £2,650 tax-free each year.

Less give, more take

Sky News analysis shows someone on £16,000 a year will pay £607 more in total - equivalent to more than three months of average household spending on food. 

Their income level means national insurance savings are limited but they are paying 20% in income tax on an additional £2,650 of earnings.

In its analysis , the IFS states: "In aggregate the NICs cuts just serve to give back a portion of the money that is being taken away through other income tax and NICs changes - in particular, multi-year freezes to tax thresholds at a time of high inflation."

Overall, according to the institute, for every £1 given back to workers by the National Insurance cuts, £1.30 will have been taken away due to threshold changes between 2021 and 2024.

This rises to £1.90 in 2027.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Outraged students chanting ‘Tory c***’  chase Jacob Rees-Mogg off campus

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Jacob Rees-Mogg was forced to flee from an appearance at Cardiff University on Friday after a gang of protesters heckled the MP and called him a ‘Tory c***’.

Scenes from the event show Mr Rees-Mogg being bundled into a vehicle while surrounded by security guards, as a group of protesters wielding Palestine flags heckle the former minister and drape themselves over the bonnet of his car.

The protest was organised by Welsh Underground Network and Cardiff Communists, with the former tweeting afterwards: ‘We helped organise a demonstration against this imperialist politician.

‘We managed to block the doors, shutting them inside for several (hours).

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‘Mogg left under a barrage of our anger, anger at his zionism, anger at his cruelty to the working class, anger at his very existence.’

Mr Rees-Mogg, who had been giving a speech at the Welsh university’s Conservative Association, later said of the incident: ‘It was a legitimate and peaceful if noisy protest.

‘The Cardiff University security team was exemplary in allowing a lawful protest while keeping everyone safe.

‘Universities ought to be bastions of free speech and as both the protesters and I were able to give our views without fear or intimidation the proper traditions of adversarial debate were upheld.’

Mogg, and his ilk, are never welcome in Wales. No zionist politician should be able to walk our streets in peace, they shouldn’t be able to open their mouths without being shouted down pic.twitter.com/6lg4xCDJ1w — Welsh Underground Network (@WelshUGN) April 27, 2024

But senior figures on both sides of the political spectrum have pointed to the event as further proof of ‘intimidation’ of public officials over their continued support of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden wrote on Twitter: ‘How silly of these morons – whatever they think their cause is, they do it a disservice.

‘I’m sure @Jacob_Rees_Mogg will have taken it in his stride but no elected politician should have to put up with this shrill intimidatory idiocy.’

Jo Stevens, Labour’s shadow Welsh secretary, said: ‘Concerned by footage of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s treatment by protesters in Cardiff.

‘I disagree with him on almost everything, but we cannot accept a culture of intimidation in our politics.

‘The right to lawful protest is sacrosanct, but harassment and intimidation is unacceptable.’

The incident came a day ahead of a major protest in central London this afternoon which called for an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza and demanded an immediate ceasefire in hostilities.

Thousands of protesters gathered in Parliament Square and walked down Piccadilly towards Hyde Park.

Chants of ‘Stop bombing Gaza, stop bombing children’ were sung by the crowds, and a series of placards reading ‘Hand off Gaza colonisers’ and ‘Free Palestine, smash the racists’ amongst others were on display.

After gathering at Hyde Park, pro-Palestinian protesters applauded UK and US university students for their own protests against the Gaza conflict.

Speaking on stage, Palestinian ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot said: ‘Change will come, campus by campus, city by city, country by country.

‘The tide is turning because this is a global movement for change, a global assertion of popular power, of people’s power.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

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'We hear you': New restaurant owners plan to return former Ottawa Beach Inn to comfort food

HOLLAND — Several months after Playa Tacos and Tequila was listed for sale, a new restaurant is moving in.

Reservoir will have an Italian-focused menu, including seafood and pizza. The plan is to open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with late night options, plus vegetarian and vegan dishes.

New owners Corina Sepsakos and her husband Vasilios also own Brick and Porter and Brickyard Tavern in Grand Rapids.

Sepsakos said the couple signed the lease on the space March 1 and have been working ever since. The goal is to open in late May. Hiring will begin in the coming weeks.

Sepsakos says the restaurant plans to cater to locals during the off-season.

"We hear you,” she said. “You miss Ottawa Beach Inn. We are all ears for what you missed ... and we will put it on the menu. It will be comfort food.”

More: Playa Tacos and Tequila officially closes, building now on the market

Ottawa Beach Inn closed in early 2022 in preparation for an extensive renovation and rebranding as Playa Tacos and Tequilas after owner River and Odi Hospitality Group decided the restaurant needed a new look and concept to stay competitive.

In December 2023, Playa announced plans to close for the winter season. Two months later, the restaurant was on the market, along with others owned by River and Odi in Saugatuck.

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Sepsakos said Reservoir will cater to all ages. There are plans for a fun, interactive experience, giving children the chance to make their own pizza at the table, plus "dirt cups" and more.

“People who go camping in the summer are families,” Sepsakos said. “We want to appeal to (them)."

For more information, visit reservoirholland.com .

— Contact reporter Austin Metz at [email protected].

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A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

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Moscow International Business Centre (MIBC)

The Moscow International Business Centre (MIBC) is an ambitious engineering project in the centre of Moscow. The site is

Estimated Investment

$12 billion

Construction Started

Moscow, Russia

Project Type

Business complex (city within a city)

CITY JSC, Moscow City Government

The Moscow International Business Centre (MIBC) is an ambitious engineering project in the centre of Moscow. The site is on an old urban area near the river embankment. The goal of the project is to create a new business district within the city.

The whole complex is to be built on a 100ha site (divided into 30 plots) designated for new development on the Krasnopresnenskaya embankment. The management company for the project is CITY Joint Stock Company (CITY JSC), a company first set up in 1992 as a collaboration between the Russian government and private investors.

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The project was first launched in the early 1990s but has been stalled for much of the last 10 years due to a lack of investment. In 2003 the project started to attract investment again and has been gaining momentum ever since.

PLOT 1: BAGRATION BRIDGE AND TOWER 2000 OFFICE COMPLEX

The first major building constructed in the MIBC project on Plot 1 was the Bagration Bridge (pedestrian bridge) and mall, completed in 1999. The second project was the Tower 2000 office complex, a multi-use business complex begun in 1996 and completed in 2001. The building is 106m high and has 30 storeys above ground and four storeys below. The total floor area of the complex is 60,000m².

The underground area contains parking garages, restaurants, retail areas and a fitness centre. Floors 3–15 and 17–26 are business offices while floors 8 and 27 have a media centre, large exhibition hall and piano bar.

The business areas are served by structured cable network, fibre optic cable, satellite broadcasting, Wi Fi and ADSL Internet access, automatic digital telephone exchange with integration of services, local broadcasting system, municipal broadcasting network, electric timing system, data collection and processing system, audio and video systems, simultaneous interpreting system, conference system, video projection system and security systems including biometric access control and a monitoring system.

The tower also has a central air conditioning system, auxiliary exhaust ventilation system, cooler and heat supply systems, Uninterruptible Power Supply system (UPS), automatic fire security system, automatic volumetric fire-fighting system, sprinkler system and automatic smoke removal system.

The general contractor for the tower was Promstroytechnologia-M Company Ltd. The facade of the tower, which is made of glass and structured concrete, was constructed by Transwall Technology. The tower is equipped with 17 computerised rapid elevators, supplied and installed by Schindler Aufzuege AG, and an outer panoramic elevator, supplied and installed by Kone Lifts. The exterior lighting equipment was supplied and installed by Thorn.

PLOTS 2 AND 3: MOSCOW WEDDING PALACE AND CITY SQUARE

The sites designated by plots 2 and 3 are now to be developed as the Moscow Wedding Palace and City Square. This will include a city square, an underground retail complex and a 14 storey multipurpose complex, which will include the Wedding Palace, banquet halls, restaurants, shops and a hotel.

The developer is Capital City Developments. The architect is Mosproject – 2. The construction started in 2005 and is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2007.

PLOT 4: AQUAPARK

The Aquapark leisure complex was started in 2002 and was completed in 2005. The site occupies a 1.74ha area adjacent to Krasnopresnenskaya embankment. It includes:

• Complex of swimming pools, water mountains and leisure attractions, restaurants and cafes and retail areas (24,352m²)
• Five-star, 30-storey hotel complex (54,640m²) built on a six-storey podium containing retail areas, restaurants and nightclubs
• Parking to accommodate 425 vehicles (13,050m²)
• The aqua park will be connected with a mooring on the Moscva River

The developer of the complex was Aqua-City Palas Company Ltd. The project required an estimated investment of $230 million. The general contractor was Liard Stroy Ltd and the designers were Mosproekt-2 of Russia and Tkhomesto Engineering of Finland.

PLOTS 6, 7 AND 8: UNDERGROUND MALL AND METRO STATIONS

A large underground complex containing the central core of the MIBC, an underground mall and two metro stations is located on these plots. Construction started in late 2001 on the 5.1ha site and was completed in mid-2004. The complex has a total floor area of 150,000m² and includes:

• 35,000m² shopping mall
• 20,000m² multi-purpose performance complex
• 10,000m² dancing complex
• 15,500m² sports and leisure complex
• 30,000m² ‘Wonderful World of Entertainment’ theme park
• 7,000m² restaurant complex
• 30,000m² hotel

The complex developer was CITY JSC and the designers were Mosproekt-2. The construction engineers were Bovis Europe and Jones Lang Lassale of the UK.

PLOT 9: CAPITAL CITY PROJECT

This project involves the construction of two connected tower blocks and a dome. The towers will be of 73 and 62 storeys high, with a 16-storey domed building containing an atrium. Connecting the buildings will be a podium building with three storeys above ground and 4–6 below ground.

The lower levels of each tower will be for office space (200,000m²), while the upper levels (above 80m) will be residential and the dome will be used as a retail area. The investment for the project is $250 million.

The developer is Capital Group; the construction engineers are Bouygues Construction and the architects are Erick van Egeraat Associated Architects of Holland. Construction has been underway since 2005 and the project is scheduled for completion in mid-2007.

PLOT 10: NABEREZHNAYA TOWER

This project involves the construction of a new office and apartment complex consisting of three A-Class buildings 16 (86m), 27 (135m) and 52 (250m) storeys high, with a total floor area of 220,000m². The construction began in mid-2003 on the 2.55ha site with the smallest of the three buildings.

The first building was completed in autumn 2004. Enka, a Turkish construction company , is carrying out the development and construction. Enka has invested a total of $150 million so far. Work is continuing on the other two buildings with completion expected in 2007.

PLOTS 11 AND 12: MIXED-USE TOWER BLOCK

The major project on these plots will be a 300m, 75-storey, mixed-use tower block with over 204,000m² of floor space. The facilities will include commercial and government offices, residential areas, retail space, leisure and health centres and a four-star hotel.

Offices will occupy the floors 4–45, while apartments are on floors 48–66. The building was designed as a two-tier skyscraper, 30 floors in the first tier and 37 in the second one. The second floor of the building will be occupied by a casino. The 47th floor will be occupied by a gymnasium.

The designers for the project are Swanke Hayden Connell Architects and the investors are Techinvest, who are investing $270 million. The contractors for the construction are Summa, a Turkish development company. Groundwork was carried out by Kaskatas. Construction on the building started in the third quarter of 2004 with completion scheduled for late 2006.

PLOT 13: FEDERATION OFFICE COMPLEX

The Federatsiya (Federation) office complex is to consist of two towers, one 57 storeys high and the other 87 storeys (345m), and a podium. The 87-storey tower will hold offices and the 57-storey tower will include residential apartments and a hotel. The total floor area of the complex will be 240,000m².

The podium will have three to five levels and 30,000m² of floor space and will contain retail areas, banking facilities, cafes, restaurants and leisure facilities. The complex will have 14 lifts built between the two towers, including four ‘Shuttle’ round-observation lifts.

Stroimontage and NIKoil Financial Group will invest more than $500 million in the project. The architects for the project are P Schweger, S Tchoban and A Asadov of Germany. Stroimontage is the general contractor for the project. Construction started in April 2004 and the complex is scheduled for completion by 2008.

PLOT 15: CITY HALL AND DUMAS

Plots 2 and 3 are owned by the Moscow City Government and original plans were for the new City Hall and Dumas (Parliament) buildings to be located there. However, these buildings will now occupy Plot 15.

The construction on Plot 15 consists of four 70-storey interconnected 308.4m buildings. The project started in November 2005 and will be finished by the end of 2007.

It is expected that all government administration will be accumulated in the new complex to provide better organisation, allowing the buildings currently in use to be sold.

The four skyscrapers will be connected by several two storey bridges between towers and eight storey bridges at the top. The highest bridges will be built in shape of letter ‘M’ for ‘Moscow’.

PLOT 16: RUSSIA TOWER

Plans for a 600m-tall tower to be built in Moscow to designs by British architect Sir Norman Foster were released in March 2006. ST Towers is the developer behind the project and is part of the ST Group.

The Russia Tower will be more than 50% higher than the Empire State Building and is to be built within the Moskva-City development on Plot 16 near the site’s border with the Third Ring Road. It will overshadow the 430m Federation Tower under construction at Moskva-City, which developers say will be the tallest building in Europe when it is completed in 2008.

The 420,000m² tower is a striking design comprising three blade-like structures arranged in a trefoil-like plan around a central core and tapering sharply toward the top, with part of the steel structure exposed on the outside like an exoskeleton.

Described by the architect as a vertical city, the tower is to house parking and retail space on nine underground levels, a public ice rink on the first floor under a spacious, pyramidal atrium, a hotel with serviced apartments above, 24 floors of office, high-end apartments on the top levels and a public observation deck at the very top. The resident population of the tower could be 25,000.

The Russia Tower is billed as an environmentally friendly project, maximizing natural ventilation and lighting, with solar cells, the collection of rainwater and snow to reduce water demand and the recycling of energy between areas with varying levels of demand. In addition, atria several floors high are to be spaced throughout the building’s central core and decorated with plants, providing the luxury apartments on the upper floors with private gardens in the sky.

The construction of the tower is expected to cost about $1.5 billion; of this about $150 million to $200 million would be supplied by ST Towers. Plans for the tower have been approved and it should be finished by about 2010. Construction has not yet started.

PLOT 17 AND 18: MULTI-PURPOSE OFFICE-HOTEL COMPLEX

The multipurpose complex will include two towers (80 and 78 floors), with a common underground space for parking. The high tower will contain office premises and the second tower will be a hotel.

The complex will also contain a roof-top restaurant with a panoramic view, cafes and bars, conference halls and billiard club. The architect is Skidmore, Owinds, and Merrill LLP. No dates have yet been announced.

PLOT 19: NORTHERN TOWERS

An office complex is being developed on this plot by ZAO Severnaya Bashnya. The Northern Towers will consist of three buildings – two 12-storey and one 29-storey. These will contain 135,000m² of floor space.

The architect is Project Institute 2 and the construction engineer is Bau Holding Strabag AG (Austria). Interior design in the building will be carried out by ABD Limited, and legal services with regard to lease documents are provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The first phase of Northern Tower is scheduled for shell and core delivery by the fourth quarter of 2006. The marketing and leasing campaign has already started. Raiffeisenbank has agreed to become the first tenant of the complex.

Northern Tower will feature spectacular atriums, prime office premises and a multi-level parking for 688 cars. There will also be a multi-functional conference hall for up to 200 people, banking premises, restaurants and cafes, a fitness centre with a swimming pool operated by Reebok, a professional dental clinic and a beauty parlour.

POWER PLANT CONSTRUCTION

The power supply for the new MIBC has been a subject of much contention among foreign investors. The complex requires an efficient power distribution system operating at 20kV rather than the more typical 10kV.

CITY JSC and power supplier Mosenergo JSC put forward a proposal in 1999 to the Moscow City Government to develop a new power network for the MIBC, mini-metro, metro junction core, Eurostation and Sheremetyevo-Moscow Rapid Transit System.

The power and heat supply for the MIBC will be provided from three sources: the Mosenergo power station ‘SS-CITY-1’; the district heat and power station ‘Krasnya Prsnya’; and the MIBC power plant on Plot 7A, which entered its first phase of construction in 2002–2003 and is now well into its second phase with completion expected in 2006.

Having established the power supply sources, the next part of the project was the bulk power and distribution network to support the MIBC. Phase 1 of the MIBC power plant has seen the construction of a Gas Turbine Unit (GTU) and Heat and Power Plant (HPP) with a capacity of 50MW and a substation with two transformers for 110V from 20kV and 110V from 10kV and two 63MVA distribution units. The next phase will see an increase of capacity up to 100MW.

The developers of the power plant are CITY JSC and CITY-ENERGO Company Ltd. The contractors for the project are Liard-Stroy Ltd and the designers of the plant were Mosproekt-2 and VNIPI Energoprom.

TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION

The Moscow–Sheremetyevo line is the first phase of the RTS to connect the three satellite airports to the centre of Moscow. This first line, 34.3km in length, will provide interconnectivity between the airport, regional centres and urban junctions and also interconnect with the existing municipal transport system. The project was started in 2001 and eight stations were planned. This stage is now complete.

The developer for the RTS is CITY JSC in collaboration with the City of Moscow; the designer is SNC Lavalin of Canada. The Phase 2 section of the project to extend the line to cover Vnukovo Airport was started in 2004 and is now nearing completion (scheduled to open in 2007).

The RTS development not only concerns rail links to the new commerical centre of Moscow but it is also a development in its own right. The Plot 11 development will include the construction of the new Moscow transport terminal uniting the RTS, three lines of the underground and the intercity bus terminal.

The complex will include transport stations with waiting rooms, boarding areas for VIPs, a hall of customs inspection, left-luggage offices, a 342 room hotel and ticket offices.

For this section of the development Citer Invest B.V. of the Netherlands is the developer, Behnish and Behnish Architekten of Germany are the architects. The investment is $200 million and construction is underway with an expected completion in 2007.

MINI-METRO LINE

A mini-metro line was also constructed to provide transportation within the MIBC and to connect with the historical centre of Moscow. There are three stations, one constructed in Phase 1 of the project and two in Phase 2. The three stations are Dorogomilovskaya, International and Moscow – City.

The length of the line is 5.85km. The engineering and transport contractors were Metrogiprotrans JSC. The line along with the International and Moscow – City stations came into operation in September 2005.

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What is Labour’s plan for rail travel and will it make tickets cheaper?

Party wants to fully nationalise train network within five years of coming to power, in ‘biggest rail reform for a generation’

Labour has made one of its most radical proposals yet in the run-up to an election campaign: to fully nationalise the train network within five years of coming to power.

The party has pledged to guarantee the cheapest fares as part of “the biggest reform of our railways for a generation”, bringing all passenger rail into national ownership under the Great British Railways (GBR) body.

So, how difficult would the plan be to enact and what does it mean for passengers?

How would Labour’s plan for Great British Railways change the way the trains are run?

The headline change is nationalisation: the ambition that all passenger train operations, at least, should return to public ownership. But the wider aim is that control of trains and tracks – “wheels and steel”, as some put it – is brought back under one unified structure, at arm’s length from the government.

The actual railway infrastructure is already managed by the state-owned Network Rail, since the disastrous tenure of Railtrack in the early days of privatisation, and train operations in Scotland, Wales and a large chunk of England are in public ownership. So a fully renationalised railway (bar the rolling stock and freight) is not as big a step as it may once have sounded – and arguably the pragmatic extension of the plans drawn up by the Conservatives in 2021, to end the fragmentation and waste in the system.

How long will the changes take?

Labour said it would get the ball rolling on day one. Given the years it has taken for the Conservatives’ GBR plans to crystallise into a draft bill that has scant chance of passing before an election, supporters of the changes would be forgiven for not holding their breath for legislation. But some of the spadework has been done by the GBR transition team, and Labour will be hoping for a more stable tenancy in Downing Street to see the policy through. It is, it stresses, a long-term plan.

As far as nationalisation of the train operators goes, most of the contracts of remaining operators will expire naturally within the next term, while the government can exercise break clauses in others, such as Avanti West Coast and Cross Country.

What would the trains look like?

Eventually, they would all be GBR-branded trains rather than the individual liveries and logos of different operators. Labour hopes that this will make things simpler for passengers, avoiding confusion over ticketing, as well as cutting costs.

Would it make train travel cheaper?

Possibly, but not for a while yet. Labour says it wants to make the railway more affordable but has definitively avoided any pledges to cut or even freeze the overall level of fares.

However, it believes that its plans will eventually save £2.2bn a year by avoiding the duplication and bureaucracy brought on by the current system, where the Department for Transport tightly controls and specifies contracts for the private firms, and reams of staff are employed in back-end roles. That could give ministers some scope to use more of the billions in annual taxpayer subsidy to bring fares down long-term.

What about this best-price guarantee?

Make that an “ambition”, according to the policy document . It’s testament to the complexity, or occasional absurdity, of UK rail fares that even after years of industry focus on improving the system, renationalising looks an easier promise than telling a passenger they’ve paid the right amount.

Things can be improved, Labour says, as contactless tap-in and tap-out payments extend through more and more of the country, opening up the possibility of a Transport for London-style system, where fares are streamlined and automatically capped or refunded.

The shadow transport secretary, Louise Haigh, pointedly chose the headquarters of Trainline in central London to launch her plans on Thursday, paying tribute to the travel app firm’s “relentless focus on passengers [and] improving their experience”. Trainline shares fell 10%, even though Labour says it has no plans to replace the private firm with a single state retailer.

But given that the app’s business depends on people paying extra to cut through the railway’s confusing fares, fragmentation and lack of a decent central ticketing site, Trainline shareholder nerves might be taken as a vote of confidence that GBR will improve the industry’s own offering.

How else might passengers benefit?

Labour says it would leave the running of the railway to the experts – but the transport secretary would set strategy and take on the role of passenger-in-chief, and the industry would not be “marking its own homework”.

The plan aims to strengthen the voice of passengers by rolling together the various bodies currently meant to be standing up for them – the watchdog Transport Focus and the little-known Rail Ombudsman, as well as a few divisions of the Office of Rail and Road.

What will happen to the private operators?

Their representatives at Rail Partners warn that it will be “messy” and the railway will lose their expertise. But the people actually running train operators, right up to the managing directors, have typically stayed in post with a different coloured badge when the owning groups moved on, and passengers at say, Southeastern or LNER may not feel life is very different. Firms once regarded as pillars of privatised rail such as Stagecoach, National Express (now Mobico) and Virgin have long exited UK rail already, pursuing business elsewhere.

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• Rail transport
• Transport policy

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UK's Labour Outlines Plan to Renationalise Railways Within 5 Years

UK's Labour Outlines Plan to Renationalise Railways Within 5 Years

A train passes in front of Battersea Power Station as it enters Victoria station in London, Britain, February 10, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Photo

(This April 24 story has been refiled to say that Arriva is being sold to I Squared, not owned by I Squared, in paragraph 10)

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party said it planned to renationalise the country's rail network within five years without paying compensation to private operators as it set out its plans to fix the troubled railway system.

Britain's train services were privatised in the 1990s but several operators have been renationalised in recent years, some of them losing their franchises after underperforming.

Labour wants to set up a publicly owned Great British Railways which will inherit passenger rail contracts currently held by private firms as they expire, a process it expects to be completed within its first term in office.

The party leads the governing Conservative Party by around 20 percentage points in opinion polls with a national election expected later this year.

"Labour will deliver the biggest overhaul to our railways in a generation," Labour transport policy chief Louise Haigh said ahead of a speech on Thursday setting out the plans.

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Battered by the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently disrupted by industrial unrest, the deteriorating quality of key services has drawn widespread criticism.

Nearly 70% of voters support bringing train operators back into public ownership permanently, a poll conducted this month by polling firm YouGov showed. Fewer than 10% opposed it.

NO SURPRISE

In the 2010s, Britain had several listed transport groups operating rail contracts, but they have either been taken private, such as Go Ahead Group, or exited the sector, such as National Express now Mobico, leaving FirstGroup the only quoted stock.

Shares in FirstGroup, which runs buses and also has contracts for rail services in western England, to Edinburgh from London, and some commuter services in London, fell 2% in early deals. Analysts said FirstGroup's stock does not price in any future rail contracts, hence the small move.

Among the other companies running rail contracts in Britain are Trenitalia which operates the c2c line east of London and Arriva Group, which is being sold to private equity firm I Squared, and they are unlikely to be surprised that their British rail contracts would not be renewed.

"This is not a surprise. Labour have been talking about this for absolutely ages," said Liberum analyst Gerald Khoo. "The only thing that's slightly more tangible is they're much closer to getting into power."

Train operators in Britain will still have a chance to operate some lines as Transport For London outsources some of its connections, such as the Overground which is operated by Arriva.

SUNAK'S PLAN

The current government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunakhas also proposed establishing a new Great British Railways (GBR), company but with a different role.

The government's proposals would group responsibility for rail infrastructure and services under GBR while maintaining a franchise system, giving it the role of contracting out passenger services to private firms.

The government has highlighted the need for private sector involvement to boost efficiency in the network after the coronavirus pandemic reduced commuting by passengers.

Latest statistics show that cancellations in the last three months of 2023 were at their highest level since records began in 2018 although industrial action by staff was a factor behind some of the problems.

Labour said the increases in cancellations and rail fares showed the current system - with four rail operators already managed by the government - had failed.

It said it planned to establish a Passenger Standards Authority to hold GBR accountable for its performance and passengers would be given price guarantees for future fares.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout, additional reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by William Schomberg, Alex Richardson and Daniel Wallis)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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