Like the Curate's egg - it's good in parts!

August is never one of our better months, as the Holiday companies seem to sell most of their Holidays in Italy, Portugal etc, and although there are plenty of people here, most of the Bars (Spanish included) suffer as the Italians in particular, rarely use Bars. We did manage to keep our figures up a little, since we are aware of the higher cost to British Holidaymakers due to the weak pound, and we have not increased our prices this year (even though the costs to us have increased).

Also we introduced an "Early Bird" Special where we do two meals for 10 euros in the early evening, and this has proved popular with low budget holidaymakers.

September has started quite well, as the average age of tourists increases, and within a few weeks the "strip" will be all but dead, and we'll be busier on a night, as we now have entertainment 7 night a week.

There are still plenty of people about, but they have less to spend, and some of the bars are really struggling, as people are even more than usual looking for good deals.

Are you over shortly?

hi adam was there in july and had great time didnt get to bar sorry about that. going back next june staying at the son matias again. we will pop in. we went down to magaluff couple times .but went tothe balmoral bar as orry the barman drinks in my local back home [durham].by the way adam did any body ever get a bar webcam or a one showing magaluuf down there . cheers ,have a good rest of the season groundman.

isee a lot of bars up for sale adam ie geordie pride, balmoral, to name a couple, is things looking bad down magaluff this year cheers ground man

There are always Bars up for sale, and there are always mugs who will buy them, and then a few weeks / months later they are up for sale again.

Most people don't do their homework when buying bars, and some bars change hands virtually every year, since they are just never going to make a go of it, whether the resort is busy or not. What's happened this year is there are fewer mugs (and the rate of exchange is way down on last year) so a few bars are now standing empty, and the landlords are suffering, which will be a good thing, since it may drive rents down, and give Bar owners a chance to make a decent profit from the ever shrinking season.

Having said all that, I've just had the best week of the year, and although I was down on last year's figures up to the end of August, I am well up for September, and we've been packed out nearly every night, although I think we are bucking the trend a little, and there are some bars which are still struggling.

Because we're British I think we can empathise with people coming away with less cash in their pockets, and we've frozen our drinks prices for this year, and now do a cheap Tea Time Special for early diners, which is proving really popular with people on a tight budget. Some of the Spanish owned bars have just sat back, put their prices up, and of course people are shopping around, and some of the really popular bigger bars are suffering the worst.

I've more or less decided to stay open through the winter, even though there are few Hotels opens, but I have good staff, and there are always a few locals about, and as long as I can cover their wages, and pay the rent, then I may as well be open.

Hello adam, I have heard of the people who do go on holiday each year and enjoy bars just like your's and the many others ones all over the Med, they along with myself look at the way of life, the warm weather and then look at what there is at home with all its problems and think how nice it would be to own a bar or cafe with home made cakes,Sunday roast's and there own idea of a good British fun pub.
Alass this is not as easy as they all think, as you well know, I myself will be cutting back from three holidays this year to two next and already cut back on a city break for my Birthday in November this year, its like our local Town shops are closing and no one is taking them on, and lots of other all over the place and look at the pubs closing here in Brittan, these people are not mugs as you put it, some may think it will easy to make money or even just a living, just remember the, in bar one year could be the one that goes the next.
It is more likley to be, too many bars that are all the same and with the touts no longer around to pull the punters in (if they still are not around) then this was always going to happen.

I will see you in three weeks,
Dave.

We're flying over on Sunday so will try and pop in and say hello at some point Adam. My dad is over already so has probably been in with his laptop by now!

Dave

Having re-read my post I maybe sounded a little harsh, calling people mugs. However, people think it's really easy to run a bar, and it simply isn't. The ones that are in the prime locations, and have been established for years are almost all Spanish owned. Few of these bars ever come on the market, and when they do they are snapped up by Spanish owners.

However the smaller bars, often in poor locations, which have often changed hands several times in recent years are nearly all owned by Brits! Very often they have been re-possessed because the previous tenant couldn't make a go of it, and they are offered for "transfer" for anything from 50,000 to 250,000 euros and since that's well within the reach of most people who have their own home to sell, and they believe they can make a good living, they jump in and buy the lease.

Then they find that the season is only 6 months (maybe 7 or even 8 in Magalluf or Palma Nova) and they realise they have to pay Autonimo for Husband wife and any working children (about 350 euros each a month) then there's the community charge for rubbish disposal etc, and suddenly you need to be taking 500 euros a day in the summer just to pay the bills. In the case of a single "local" (unit) that's almost impossible to do other than in a couple of months, and for the rest of the time they are scratching around trying to make a living. They have to work 12 - 18 hours a day, without any profit to show at the end of the year, and more often than not they hand the keys back to the landlord and up for sale it goes again.

Anyone thinking of buying a bar should really come over here and live here for a few weeks / months and get a feel for the area. Coming on holiday only gives you a snapshot, and if you see a bar busy when you're on holiday it's easy to assume that's it's busy all the time, and it almost certainly ain't. We were very naive, even though I did a lot of homework, but I managed to buy a double local, in a main road location, and after a few years of really strugling we've managed to build up a lot of repeat custom, although this year has been a little quieter, as I mentioned earlier in the thread.

Sorry to wax on, but if a little of my "words of wisdom" help to stop someone being seperated from their life savings, I'll be happy.

Katy

I'm doing some refurbishment work in my office, and the internet is off at the moment, but hopefully back on tomorrow. Look forward to seeing you if you get chance to pop in.

Cheers

Adam