Denry Okpor

About the book

“Most new venues don't fail because of the idea. They fail on the premises, the licence, the build or the cash.”

Launch Your Venue: The Step-by-Step Playbook for Opening a Salon, Café or Bar in the UK follows a 26-week plan from idea to opening night, taking every decision in the order you'll face it, with the real numbers, the real rules and the checklists to get it right first time.

Inside you'll find:

• The 15 most expensive mistakes new venue owners make, and how to avoid every one
• Startup costings for six venue formats, worked monthly profit figures for a salon, café and bar, and what happens when sales come in 20% low
• A complete guide to taking on commercial premises: the options and their risks, security of tenure, personal guarantees, dilapidations, break clauses, and 18 terms to push back on
• A full licensing guide: premises and personal licences, temporary event notices, food registration, special treatment licences, pavement licences and Martyn's Law
• Planning, building control and fit-out, including how to manage contractors or run the build yourself
• Hiring, pay, tips, pensions and the 2026 employment law changes
• What to do when things go wrong: rent arrears, licence reviews, a contractor walking off, or a cash crisis
• A 26-week master timeline, 30 questions to ask the agent, 20 questions for your solicitor, and 12 ready-to-use templates and checklists

Whether you're opening a nail or beauty salon, barbershop, café, cocktail bar, restaurant or hybrid venue, or adding a second site, this book shows you what it really costs, what can go wrong, and what to do next. Updated for 2026, including the National Living Wage, the new business rates multipliers and the Employment Rights Act 2025. Covers England and Wales.

• PublisherIndependently published
• Published8 October 2026
• Length109 pages
• Paperback ISBN-13979-8-1609-6803-2
• Paperback ASINB0HMLZVXL5
• Kindle ASINB0HMLXJ4CF