Opening a restaurant can be a daunting task, but with the right plan and preparation, it doesn't have to be. In this series of articles, we'll cover the essential steps for finding the perfect location for your restaurant, café, or bar.

Article 1: Creating a Business Plan and Landlord Pack

This is the foundation of your strategy and an essential exercise. In this article, we'll cover the basics of creating a landlord pack, including:

• Summarizing your business and its unique selling proposition in 30 seconds

• Menus, sourcing produce, and pricing

• How you and your team will make the business a success

• Design vs. cost considerations for fitting out your site

• Your proposal and why a landlord should accept you as a tenant

Article 2: Finding the Perfect Location

It's not just about finding a beautiful site with good foot traffic. In this article, we'll help you consider the following before beginning your search:

• The type of shop you're opening and how that affects your needs

• Permissions and legal requirements for running a bar or kitchen at a site

• What makes a good location, including demographics, accessibility, visibility, competition, and hours of access

• How to look for a site, including website aggregators, Land Registry, and working with agents

Article 3: The Art of the Deal - Negotiating a Lease

In this article, we'll cover the most common and important terms in a lease and their potential impact, including:

• Lease length and break clauses

• Rent and rent reviews

• Incentives and premiums

• Guarantees and agreements

• Service charge and insurance

• Use, alteration, and repair conditions

Article 4: Working with Professionals

Taking on a long-term lease can be overwhelming, which is why it's important to work with professionals to make sure you get it right. In this article, we'll cover the professionals you should consider working with on this journey, including:

• Landlord pack and business plan designers

• Commercial agents to find a site and assist with negotiation

• Solicitors to negotiate the lease

• Planning and licensing professionals

• Designers and contractors for fitting out the shop.

We will be releasing these articles over the next couple of months, so follow us on Instagram to keep up to date.