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Nurse quit her job to run narrowboat café with her son


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Nurse quit her job to run narrowboat café with her son - Manchester Evening News

 

A former nurse quit her job to pursue her dream of opening a quaint narrowboat café. Tucked away in the quiet spot that is Droylsden Marina, The Safari Narrowboat Tea Room sits just 12 customers at full capacity, and is run by mother and son duo Maria and Philip.

 

 

Owner Maria Smart knew she had to change her job at a private nursing home, which often saw her working long and gruelling hours. She decided she wanted to open a tea room on a canal boat, after spending years holidaying in one on weekends with her husband.

The mum, 54, took the plunge and is now a thriving success along with her chef son, becoming a top spot for dog walkers and cyclists alike, with many customers travelling from all over the country for an afternoon tea or warming cup of coffee.

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24 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I'm doubt it, it's a lifestyle choice. 

I'm doubt it too. But a "lifestyle choice", perhaps made in pursuit of a less stressful life, may have an opposite effect if she can't earn enough to make ends meet.

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32 minutes ago, Athy said:

I'm doubt it too. But a "lifestyle choice", perhaps made in pursuit of a less stressful life, may have an opposite effect if she can't earn enough to make ends meet.

Wise words. In answer to the question, NO a " Decent?? " living for two cannot possibly be made out of such a venture. The lifestyle choice will b4 very long bring stress due to level of income unless they have some other income stream we know not of.

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She may have taken early retirement from the NHS, depending which scheme she was on she could have done so at 50. Then moved to the private sector, where her earnings wouldnt impact on her NHS pension. She is 54.

 

It will be far from a kings ransom, especially if she retired early but she possibly will have some other regular income source all be it a very modest one.

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3 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

She may have taken early retirement from the NHS, depending which scheme she was on she could have done so at 50. Then moved to the private sector, where her earnings wouldnt impact on her NHS pension. She is 54.

 

 

Not clear from the newspaper report that she ever worked in the NHS. "trained in 2004 and worked in a private nursing home for 14 years "

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13 minutes ago, MartinC said:

Not clear from the newspaper report that she ever worked in the NHS. "trained in 2004 and worked in a private nursing home for 14 years "

Nonetheless, she would probably have accumulated a pension during those years.Ii spent most of my teaching career in the independent sector but I still get a pension.

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42 minutes ago, MartinC said:

Not clear from the newspaper report that she ever worked in the NHS. "trained in 2004 and worked in a private nursing home for 14 years "

 

I should have read the report tbh.

 

I doubt then she will have had the ability to take her pension at 50. Pensions from private health companies are rarely if ever as generous as the NHS. Even the new sections of the NHS pension don't allow early retirement until age 55.

 

 

Edited by The Happy Nomad
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Droylsden's only a few miles from home and on the way to my own boat. Looks a lovely little cafe and their FB page https://www.facebook.com/Safari-Narrowboat-Tearoom-219950255282015/ is full of complimentary messages. Menu prices seem very reasonable (£5 breakfast, £2 pot of tea). Being in the marina they also appear to have outdoor seating available on top of the 12 covers inside the boat. Hope that the owners can make an ongoing success of it. Will definitely try to grab a bite to eat there at some point this summer. 

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58 minutes ago, BilgePump said:

Droylsden's only a few miles from home and on the way to my own boat. Looks a lovely little cafe and their FB page https://www.facebook.com/Safari-Narrowboat-Tearoom-219950255282015/ is full of complimentary messages. Menu prices seem very reasonable (£5 breakfast, £2 pot of tea). Being in the marina they also appear to have outdoor seating available on top of the 12 covers inside the boat. Hope that the owners can make an ongoing success of it. Will definitely try to grab a bite to eat there at some point this summer. 

Those prices are not reasonable, they are downright silly if trying to make any kind of living for two people today. It will depend slightly on what is on the breakfast but a fiver is basicaly a bacon and egg butty, certainly no more. 

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4 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Those prices are not reasonable, they are downright silly if trying to make any kind of living for two people today. It will depend slightly on what is on the breakfast but a fiver is basicaly a bacon and egg butty, certainly no more. 

£3.25 for that according to the menu

Maybe they focus on pleasing the customers, having narrow margins, good prices and high turnover.

This is north Manchester, not London. If the prices were substantially higher then they may have great margins but zero turnover.

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8 minutes ago, BilgePump said:

£3.25 for that according to the menu

Maybe they focus on pleasing the customers, having narrow margins, good prices and high turnover.

This is north Manchester, not London. If the prices were substantially higher then they may have great margins but zero turnover.

 

 

Ok lets imagine. They pay say £5k a year for the mooring, and the same again for commercial insurance, BSS, licence etc. Another £5k in random overheads like petrol and vehicle expenses, accountancy fees and the myriad other minor costs associated with running a cafe.

 

Now lets imagine the two of them living frugally need a joint income of say £30k. That makes £45k a year they need sell, and at £3.25 for those bacon butties they'll need to make and sell 13,846 of them a year, or 38 per day if they open every day of the year.

 

And that's before they've even paid for the bacon, the eggs and the bread rolls! I'm with mrsmelly on this, at their prices they don't have a business, they have a hobby. 

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We've spent a few night in Droylsden marina, a quirky little establihment, and chatted to the cafe people. I doubt its £5000 mooring fee. I think the daily rate for visitors is £8, or maybe £4, I can't remember, and I expect the anual rate is lower. The cafe boat is on the public rather than secure side so probably extra cheap. They mostly open in the mornings for the breakfast trade so I expect they aim to have a few little incomes rather than looking for one big income, which is how many people exist these days.

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5 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

Ok lets imagine. They pay say £5k a year for the mooring, and the same again for commercial insurance, BSS, licence etc. Another £5k in random overheads like petrol and vehicle expenses, accountancy fees and the myriad other minor costs associated with running a cafe.

 

Now lets imagine the two of them living frugally need a joint income of say £30k. That makes £45k a year they need sell, and at £3.25 for those bacon butties they'll need to make and sell 13,846 of them a year, or 38 per day if they open every day of the year.

 

And that's before they've even paid for the bacon, the eggs and the bread rolls! I'm with mrsmelly on this, at their prices they don't have a business, they have a hobby. 

Okay, let's imagine that they ran a sidestreet cafe/ butty shop just round the corner. That's £8k+ in rent, plus insurance, council tax and business expenses too.

It's not as if someone operating a bricks and mortar business somehow has none of the bills that one afloat does.

 

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13 minutes ago, BilgePump said:

Okay, let's imagine that they ran a sidestreet cafe/ butty shop just round the corner. That's £8k+ in rent, plus insurance, council tax and business expenses too.

It's not as if someone operating a bricks and mortar business somehow has none of the bills that one afloat does.

 

 

 

I can see you've never run a business in your life! 

 

:giggles:

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1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

 

Read the thread then! 

 

 

I think its time for your beddie byes, so as to leave the adults to have a proper conversation.

 

 

Edited by The Happy Nomad
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14 hours ago, BilgePump said:

I've never run a sandwich shop or cafe if that's what you're asking

I have. MTB is correct. Even if their moorings where free their business model pleases only the customer, not their pockets. They may well, as said previously have some other income stream? She may well own her own house so no rent or mortgage? It is simply also physicaly impossible especialy on rainy days ( plenty ) to take any money from 12 covers at those prices.

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1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

I have. MTB is correct. Even if their moorings where free their business model pleases only the customer, not their pockets. They may well, as said previously have some other income stream? She may well own her own house so no rent or mortgage? It is simply also physicaly impossible especialy on rainy days ( plenty ) to take any money from 12 covers at those prices.

 

"Make" presumably, rather than take?

 

 

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