Idea for a cafe
Discussion
As some of you know here, I invested in a former hunting lodge a while back which is let out as a holiday let. That looks like it has turned out very well.
The local authority have invested a significant sum in improving a pathway that runs along the edge of my land just where I happen to have an outhouse. The foot traffic past this outhouse is significant now but is far enough away from the lodge not to be an issue.
The property is in a conservation area located halfway between 2 very popular holiday villages and there are no refreshment stops along this bridleway.
Am I crazy to think of setting up a cafe in the outhouse? Would the first issue be planning? How would I go about applying for the required permissions. Who should I talk to to investigate further?
The local authority have invested a significant sum in improving a pathway that runs along the edge of my land just where I happen to have an outhouse. The foot traffic past this outhouse is significant now but is far enough away from the lodge not to be an issue.
The property is in a conservation area located halfway between 2 very popular holiday villages and there are no refreshment stops along this bridleway.
Am I crazy to think of setting up a cafe in the outhouse? Would the first issue be planning? How would I go about applying for the required permissions. Who should I talk to to investigate further?
No, it had been derelict for about 10 years and the previous owners converted it to a holiday let. The cafe idea really came to us because we have walked to both villages regularly and when we get back, we are always ready for a coffee and some cake.
There are a number of things that have come together to make this an ideal spot but find it hard to believe that the National Park would allow for this kind of activity but on a small scale, surely it would benefit everyone. We are not talking about building a McDonalds Drive Thru. Just using an existing building and offering basic refreshments. It could give extra income to our caretaker.
There are a number of things that have come together to make this an ideal spot but find it hard to believe that the National Park would allow for this kind of activity but on a small scale, surely it would benefit everyone. We are not talking about building a McDonalds Drive Thru. Just using an existing building and offering basic refreshments. It could give extra income to our caretaker.
I don't believe what you're proposing is outright banned for national parks / listed sites. Where it tends to go wrong is that for food service you must meet H+S regs which are likely to require significant building work for a site that hasn't previously been a food place. If these changes impact the national park / listed building rules then you're scuppered.
Might be worth running it on a "no cooking" basis.
This is were you would re-heat food prepared off site such as toasted sandwiches or jacket potatoes. By doing this you will avoid the need for a fully working kitchen and the H&S implications, noise from extraction equipment and the smells they emit.
That approach along with a locally sourced produce ethos may well get the national park on side.
This is were you would re-heat food prepared off site such as toasted sandwiches or jacket potatoes. By doing this you will avoid the need for a fully working kitchen and the H&S implications, noise from extraction equipment and the smells they emit.
That approach along with a locally sourced produce ethos may well get the national park on side.
You need to consider the litter aspect, if you open a cafe and the ammount of litter seen along the route increases guess who is likely to get the blaim aimed at them, and I'm willing to bet that if you don't handle this well even rubbish from things you can prove you never sold will be aimed at you.
Engineer1 said:
You need to consider the litter aspect, if you open a cafe and the ammount of litter seen along the route increases guess who is likely to get the blaim aimed at them, and I'm willing to bet that if you don't handle this well even rubbish from things you can prove you never sold will be aimed at you.
This is a good point. I must say that considering how popular the track is, there is currently no litter. I mean zero. I would hate to contribute to a single piece of discarded rubbish in an area that so many have managed to keep tidy. 
You may well sell some food and drink in summer and spring but it could mostly be just a handy toilet for the ramblers. Perhaps a stall to start with? Not too hard to get yourself and van with decent kitchen fittings to provide the snacks. This will eliminate the need for getting a change of use for the premises, H&S mentalists crawling over the building, provision of accessible WC's for those non-ambulant disabled, catering licences and all things associated with getting food and hygiene approvals and training, staffing when it gets busy etc etc. Probably the most sensible route is to either do it on a small scale to test the market need for such a service or rent the unit to an operator who already has a running business.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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