Taking a Catering Pitch

Taking a Catering Pitch - DIY Stores?

by David R

Hi,

Thanks for the inspiring story and for the help you offer others here.

I have been offered a permanent pitch in a B&Q DIY store in my city.

The rent is £125+VAT per week, regardless of the nature of the food service offered. The only restriction is that the catering unit must not take up more than 3 car parking spaces.

Do you think this is good value for money? The weekly cost was more than I was anticipating - some people rent lockups for less than this amount. Then again, they are tied into long leases - I can vacate this pitch with just 2 weeks notice if I wish, without cost.

I suppose the pitch comes with a decent captive trading audience but making £125 profit each week before I earn my living seems a lot.

Any views? This pitch is new and no-one has traded from it before. Next to the B&W there is a large tool hire company, and opposite there is a retail park with Currys, Comet, etc.

I have not purchased a catering van yet, as I want to secure the pitch first, but I am considering a 12ft long catering van based on a LDV Convoy (2004) for £8k.

Thanks for any pointers!

Regards,

David R

Comments for
Taking a Catering Pitch - DIY Stores?

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Rating

Pitch on Retail Park Sound Really Good!
by: Anonymous

Hi David,

This sound great and you also have the benefit of a large retail park which I am sure will be busy on the weekends. Even if you can’t work 7 days a week you could employ someone trust worthy to help you out.

Yes I know that £125+VAT will quite a lot, but you could have a really lucrative pitch.Which could make you thousands of pounds a month, or not – but you will never know unless you give it a try.

I’m sure that at the very least you should be turning over at least £700(min)- £1000+ if it’s a good pitch. You also have the advantage that no one else is on there so you can make a fresh start, cook some really great tasting foods - and offer good value for money.

The trailer that you have suggested sounds about the right size, just make sure it’s really, really clean and all gas appliances if it’s possible.

I’m sure that you will make it a big success if you choose to go for it. You could also do some market research to make sure, ask around the pitch and see what they are saying. People will tell you if hot food is in demand or not.

Get some menus made up with your phone number and give them out to people, this will be good for business.

What ever you decide David; I wish you the best of luck!

Contact me anytime.

Regards
David

Rating

Thanks
by: David R

Thanks for the advice and encouragement David. I;m sure you're right that as long as the volume (and therefore turnover) is there, the £125+VAT weekly cost of the pictch could end up being a bargain.

I've looked at another pitch that is only £75+VAT per week. It's a smaller retailer (a Homebase store) but on two visits to each of these pitches, I've noticed there have always been more cars parked in the smaller of the car parks (the £75 pitch), than in the larger £125 pitch car park.

I guess I could start with the £75 pitch as it's a lower cost / commitment, and then change pitches if I feel the need. (The company have confired I can do this with 4 weeks notice).

One other thing I did learn was that the company managing the pitches will not allow any type of converted catering van. The unit must be a purpose-built cateing trailer, and it must have both hot and cold running water via tap, and must have two sinks.

So I am now looking at trailers and towing, rather than a van, which had seemed more versatile.

This is a really exciting time - I have been an IS Project Manager on a good wage for many years but was made redundant on 31/12. I am disillushioned and fed up with the politics of organisations and the prospect of being a corporate slave all y life. Some friends and family think I am mad but I am confident that with my good attention to customer satisfaction and a willingness to work hard, I will make a mobile catering pitch a real success.

David, could you recommend a supplier of catering trailers that ensures CE conformity and provides higher end features like instant hot water and duel sinks, etc ?

I would prefer to buy 'nearly new' but would consider a brand new unit if the price was right. I would like to spend up to £8k if possible, but for the righ unit, I would spend up to £10k.

Thank you again for all your great help.

David R

X Close Editor

Rating

Submitted by: David R

Title

Comment
Thanks for the advice and encouragement David. I;m sure you're right that as long as the volume (and therefore turnover) is there, the £125+VAT weekly cost of the pictch could end up being a bargain. I've looked at another pitch that is only £75+VAT per week. It's a smaller retailer (a Homebase store) but on two visits to each of these pitches, I've noticed there have always been more cars parked in the smaller of the car parks (the £75 pitch), than in the larger £125 pitch car park. I guess I could start with the £75 pitch as it's a lower cost / commitment, and then change pitches if I feel the need. (The company have confired I can do this with 4 weeks notice). One other thing I did learn was that the company managing the pitches will not allow any type of converted catering van. The unit must be a purpose-built cateing trailer, and it must have both hot and cold running water via tap, and must have two sinks. So I am now looking at trailers and towing, rather than a van, which had seemed more versatile. This is a really exciting time - I have been an IS Project Manager on a good wage for many years but was made redundant on 31/12. I am disillushioned and fed up with the politics of organisations and the prospect of being a corporate slave all y life. Some friends and family think I am mad but I am confident that with my good attention to customer satisfaction and a willingness to work hard, I will make a mobile catering pitch a real success. David, could you recommend a supplier of catering trailers that ensures CE conformity and provides higher end features like instant hot water and duel sinks, etc ? I would prefer to buy 'nearly new' but would consider a brand new unit if the price was right. I would like to spend up to £8k if possible, but for the righ unit, I would spend up to £10k. Thank you again for all your great help. David R

Cancel Delete Delete & Ban

throbber Updating Comments page...

Rating

Where To Buy a Catering Trailer?
by: Anonymous

Hi David,

This sound like a good idea and you seem to have everything under control.

Your right about not using a catering van on some sites/pithces as they view a catering van as a health and safety issue and one that their insurance will not cover.

With regards to where to buy a catering trailer the best thing to do is to just Google catering trailers for sale and you should see quite a few come up in the search results.

Alternatively the catering trailer supplier I usually recommend is www.ajc-trailers.co.uk and it’s mainly because they also hire catering trailers as well as sell them.

Really good for people who don’t have the capital to buy out right - they can choose the option to rent which gives time to try the business out.

Anyway – best of luck again. Let us know how you get on.