UKC

Went to do a spot of climbing at Tremadog this morning and all the way there i was looking forward to a nice brew at erics cafe!! And to my dissapointment found that it was closed and up for sale!

How long has the cafe been closed for? Was a nice place to go and enjoy a brew before and after climbing!

In reply to nathan_kelly: sad news indeed! wa sone of the nicer cafes in n wales.

In reply to nathan_kelly:
that is very bad news! Any idea if that will effect the campsite nd bunkhouse?

In reply to nathan_kelly: The for sale sign has been up for ages and the cafe has traditionally been closed some days mid week. It was open last month so I'd wait for someone to confirm the exact position.

In reply to Mark Stevenson: I was there in March and it had the for sale sign and was still open as usuall.

In reply to nathan_kelly: bloke i work with found out id been climbing at tremadog said to me "i used to live near there, did you go to the cafe? eric jones owns it, did you know that?"
i said "is that why its called the 'Eric Jones cafe' do you think
Ahh! came the reply

In reply to nathan_kelly: As people say the sign has been there for a while now. From the sounds of it when I was last there he hadn't been having much interest. Would be a real shame if there was no cafe there. Hope it isn't actually shut.
Sam

What a great opportunity for someone.

Mick

In reply to nathan_kelly:

It was open on SUnday, so definitely not permanently closed. Yet.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:


I would hope so, but isn't a lot of the pull Eric himself?

I don't know much about the cafe/catering industry, but I should imagine its hard work with long hours, and being tied to the business for relatively little return?

do you think someone could make some money out of expanding the cafes operations to include a real gear shop as it were?

anyway, yes, great place and would be a huge shame to lose it

In reply to JonC:

I think you'd need to do something like that.

Or at least at a USP.

As it stands I doubt climber footfall from Tremadog make it a viable business opportunity.

I hope someone does manage something!

In reply to nathan_kelly:
It's not just bad news - Eric's was a destination, Tremadog was just a distraction.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaa!

In reply to monkey man:

We were there last month and the cafe was open (on a weekend).

I recall overhearing someone chatting with one of the staff and she said the cafe was up for sale on its own (not including the bunkhouses). I think the asking price was something like £250k - seemed to me you'd have to sell rather a lot of tea and bacon butties before you started making a living!

BTW - What is the bunkhouse nearest to the cafe like? We were staying in the BRMC club hut (which is very well appointed), but poked our heads round the door of the bunkhouse directly next door - it was a huge garage with a couple of enormous sleeping platforms and a stove - not exactly luxurious!

Debra

In reply to Debra Halcrow: Im sorry You obviously missed the en-suite wetroom with raw silk toilet roll and bolivian foot masseus....

Talk about roughin it...

In reply to nathan_kelly: Actually, thinking back I remember overhearing Eric talking to some guys-I think he said he was either selling it with the campsite and one of the bunkhouses or he would be willing to, he may have said the opposite to be fair but I can't remember! I also remember him saying something about an alchohol license-I can't say for sure but I have a feeling there is one-that would definately make it a more attractive proposition, assuming I'm not imagining things....
Sam

In reply to Sam L:

I think he was asking for 330K, with a turnover of 52K a year. 12K profit? Hmm

Not many takers unless you really want the place. I'm guessing he's just chancing his arm waiting for the right person.

cheers
mark

In reply to Debra Halcrow:


Nope, but at £4 a night and no need to book who's complaining? Beats a wet night camping.

I've used the more up-market bunkhouse and it seemed OK. No particularly salient memory other than an enourmous jobby that blocked the can.

Eric's is an absolute institution and would be sadly missed. I've often ended up at Tremadog on days when the weather has been on-and-off, and sitting with a big mug of tea and a plate of chips looking out of the window trying to guess whether the crag has dried out is about as definitive a Britsh climbing experience as it gets!

In reply to Sam L:


Ah, the pre-climbing beer! Drive up from Bham, sink a beer or two, don gear and hit the crag. What a great idea

In reply to JonC:

http://www.bizsale.co.uk/business-for-sale/Cafe-12657197.html

In reply to Jamie B.:


Yup, just about sums it up.

How about the BMC buys it?! Another chance for them to c*ck up something which requires a head for business?

In reply to JonC:

They already have a licence - or at least I presume so, since I had a drink after climbing there on Sunday!

In reply to Mark Westerman:

Good spot! On c£50k pa turnover how the heck is it worth £350k without any accommodation attached? Development value? Nevis, any ideas?

In reply to JonC:

Actaually thought about it myself for a bit. Could make more of the camping, but even if you could buy more land you'd have to raise it all about 3 feet.

I like the place myself, great spot, good crowd. But a lot of it's charm is cause eric runs it. The property itself is a bit soulless. (I'm a blasphemer I know).

cheers
mark

In reply to Mark Westerman:

I was a mere £100k out then. How many extra cups of tea a week is that then?!

Debra

In reply to JonC: If you think of the number of student clubs staying in the campsite/bunkhouses alone, and the ammount students drink that would add a bit to the turnover!
Sam

In reply to Debra Halcrow:

Hello Debra!

That seems a big asking price for a cafe that's become an institutional name, based around the owners reputation.

In the words of Mr Duncan Bannatyne : I'm sorry Eric.. I've nae faith that this is gonna make me money, cause I canae climb. I'm a bumbler. And for that reason, I won't be investing... I'm out!

In reply to Debra Halcrow:

Where's Rob when you need him...

In reply to Cragrat Rich:

As said, it's a really difficult one. Who else would you be able to attract to that location other than climbers?

What would you need to do to attract them?

I don't know what the walking is like around there, or if Tremadog/Porthmadog has much of a tourist industry.

In reply to nathan_kelly: i thought the caff had been for sale for years.
from 2005 i think,

In reply to Tobias at Home: Not been to Tremadog for years but the café really popular due to Eric rather than its location ? I can remember the café pre Eric & it was pretty popular with climbers (wasn't it run as part of the petrol station before Eric ?)

In reply to nathan_kelly:

As Cara said it was open at the weekend. There was also a sign saying it was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays hence why it wasn't open when you were there.

In reply to ClimberEd: There's quite good walking behind the upper tier.

In reply to nathan_kelly: IIRC it was for sale when i was there october last.

In reply to nathan_kelly:

I actually havent been there for years (probably three at least) & I know it was for sale even back then, so I think nothing much has changed ..

In reply to To_Boldly_Go: Speaking of good cafs in Wales, am I late to discover the "Caban" in Brynrefail just North of Llanberis. Great food, great location - Eric doesn't serve you tea though.