Another episode of brave Brits deciding to give it a go against all odds. From mini golf courses and cycling retreats in Spain to B&B’s and a Château in France – this series has a brilliant range of businesses to follow.
In Italy this episode follows a couple from Glasgow whose dreams come crashing down. In Portugal there is a lot to learn for two inexperienced glampsite owners and in France a couple are attempting to open a wine bar and hope that the English can actually sell wine and cheese to the French. It will be very interesting to see how that turns out.
Liz and Aiden from Glasgow move to Italy
South east Italy is famous for it’s hot and dry climate. Liz is an estate agent from Glasgow and first went to this area of Italy with Aiden around five or six years ago. They both felt immediately at home and at peace here. They thought this was very strange as they had never been there before but immediately fell under it’s spell. They contacted the local estate agent and ask them to find them a house.
They actually ended up buying a house without even viewing it. After a couple of Proseccos in Glasgow they made the decision to buy the property which is a stunning country pile set in two acres of land and even comes with its very own trullo. Trullos are only found in this part of Puglia, Italy so they are very special.
The plan soon fell apart when the global pandemic came along and all of the builders stopped working. Now they are returning to Italy for the first time in six months.
They had hoped to open two months earlier but the builders have only just returned to the site and it looks like something from a disaster movie. Definitely not the dream life they had envisaged. They don’t even have electricity at the moment to stay there.
Renovation Costs and Slow Progress
They set aside €60,000 for renovations but it soon becomes apparent that the interior work is going to be more costly. There is not much improvement outside the property either where there is just rubble where there is going to be a seating area, swimming pool and shower.
Liz and Aiden had wanted to turn the Trulli into a holiday let but this plan has been put on the back burner due to the delays in renovating the main property.
They are excited about renovating the Trulli in the future though and can really see the potential especially when the walls inside are stripped back to reveal the gorgeous stone. Liz says that at the moment the property looks a bit like something from a sci-fi film. However they remain optimistic about their new life in Italy. They drink to the future. And enjoy the Italian sun.
A Cheese and Wine Bar in France
Over in France we meet a British couple who would love to start a new wine business in France. Dordogne.
Graham and Damien are from Brighton and were sick of the commute to London. They decided it was very much needed to make a change in their lives. Drinking wine and eating cheese certainly sounds like a dream life in the Sun.
They were Call Centre managers but are now going to open a cheese and wine bar in the centre of a mediaeval French town. They are very passionate about wine and cheese and so really hope it’s something they can make a go of.
They bought a four story building which used to be a haberdashery for just €100,000. They have big plans to turn this into the perfect wine and cheese bar with some living accommodation upstairs. There is a lot of hard work ahead although they do have the vision and can see past the 1970s wallpaper!
They are going to have three ensuite B&B rooms upstairs when everything is finished.
A Tight Budget to Work With
Graham and Damien have a tight budget of €70,000 in the whole property needs rewiring and re-plumbing as well as everything else.
They have set themselves eight months to complete the project so they can open in time for the summer season. The invite the builders round for quotes and await the quotes nervously. Because the town has strict preservation laws about the buildings exterior then to fix things like new tiles this will prove to be expensive.
Opening a Glamping Site in Portugal
Next in this episode takes us to Ian and Pippa in Portugal who are drawn to this particular area due to the amazing lake views.
They are originally from Gloucestershire and had a long weekend holiday in Portugal around 10 years ago and fell in love with the place. Pippa was a social worker and chose this area of Portugal as the setting for their dream business. Their plan is to build a campsite in the area.
Ian has always wanted a campsite and for £100,000 they bought a one bedroom cottage and then for an extra £65k they purchased adjoining land with a yurt. There is room on the grounds for an additional four pitches and the whole place has amazing lake views with fishing available too. A big plus for a campsite.
Solar Power in Portugal
The yurt is super cosy with a wood burner in the middle which also acts as an oven. The shower system is run by solar electricity charged up from a panel on the roof.
The shower is tepid but hopefully in the summer months this would be fine for guests. They don’t pay any utility bills at all which is a huge bonus. The whole thing sounds very idyllic until it comes to the amount of work that need to be done to make the campsite guest ready in just four weeks time.
They have been reading about compost toilets and talk about this being their bedtime reading now. They’ve invested every penny they own and so they are nervous about getting their first guests and getting bookings in.
