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Luk
08-02-2015, 15:53
Hello everybody. I've spent the last couple of days reading different topics on the forum to get an idea about living and running a business in Tenerife. I found a lot of valuable information here. Thank you!
Still, the more I think about moving there the more scared I am because of the many unknown aspects.
First of all a little bit about myself and the business I'm running. I am from Romania. I was a physics teacher for 10 years and last year me and my friend took a chance to start a small mobile amusement ride business. It was not bad for Romania, still can't make a decent living out of it due to short season and other reasons I won't mention here. So Tenerife came into consideration as whole year location.
Let's sum our plan:
Sell our current ride (as it is not on a trailer)
Borrow money on the company (I am not eligible for a loan either my partner) by granting with my house
Buy a ride on a trailer and come with it by car in Tenerife.
Rent a room for 2 month
Make all legal demands to function in Tenerife
Find a good location and finally start to make money.
After a month or so after start "making money" hopefully rent a long term min 2 bedrooms house or apartment as my wife and kids(2 and 4 years old) will come there.

Here are my questions, any answers, clues, opinions, suggestions regarding any of them are very welcome
1.It will be cheaper for us to come straight to Tenerife by ferry. Is it possible? or should we first come, make legal demands, than go back to Romania to bring the ride
2.Which is the best option: a) to make legal demands to function with the romanian company there or b) to create a new sl in tenerife than rent the ride from the romanian company (also an sl)
3.In romania our company has an ambulant (mobile) status. Is it possible in tenerife too? (it would be the best way for us till we find an ideal placement)
4.How long will it take to start? (I hope no more than 2 month)
5.Can I get an opening license to operate on the edge of a crowded beach and a range for the rent per square meter per month? (By romanian experience dealing with the local authorities is difficult and absurd sometimes, so I'll have to find to whom I'll have to donate a kidney in order to get good location ??? )
6.How much will it cost to start? Here are some of my estimations. Please give me your opinions and tell about other expanses that me and my business partner will face in the first 2 month
Rent a room for the first 2 month - 1000 euro
Poket money for the first 2 month - 1000
Getting the company legal 1000
A cash register ?
Insurance for the ride ?(have no idea. please tell me if I can pay it monthly and a price range)
First three month rent for 100m2 ?

Sorry for the long post....
Best wishes to everybody!

sundownersvince
09-02-2015, 01:40
Hope its not a scary ride, we are all over 60 here you know........

Luk
09-02-2015, 02:57
Hope its not a scary ride, we are all over 60 here you know........
Are you trying to say that all over 60 there aren't so brave as they used to be 40 years ago?:eyebrows:

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I've just read http://www.bakermckenzie.com/files/Publication/9a0cb786-2b6a-46b5-9c73-153d8380eb90/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/e5e436ac-7423-4cab-a3c0-1a0089cd21a2/bk_dbispain_13.pdf and got a clue about how to move a business in papers. I think I'll just have to take professional advice when I will make the move. Till than I'll do my homework. As many have written here taking professional advice can be tricky over there.... But thanks God for the freedom of information...
Right now I'm drinking a red ale I brewed thanks to english home-brewing forums and feel that everything is possible.
It's my birthday so..Cheers! and Happy birthday to me!

Luk
09-02-2015, 12:30
Hope its not a scary ride, we are all over 60 here you know........

Depends... are people over 60 there easy to scare? ....Joking...just don't think lots of myocardial infarction will happen after my arrival.. it's a small kiddie ride

I replied last night but my posts have been deleted... I'd like to know why in order not to make mistakes in the future.

Regarding the topic I'll simplify my questions :
1. Would it be much more complicated to open a branch in tenerife than creating a new limited company there?
2. How much are the initial expanses in creating a branch or a new limited company (SL) with 2 employees: me and my associate?

kingbaker
09-02-2015, 12:48
Have you been to Tenerife?

Luk
09-02-2015, 13:02
No, but lots of my friends been there on holidays. I've worked in Cyprus about 7 years ago for a couple of months. First month there in a funfair park 8 to 16 hours a day with no day off. I also worked as a waiter in a hotel about 10 hours a day for 600 euro a month. Very hard work. I know it's not easy out there...

kingbaker
09-02-2015, 14:10
So the answer is you have not been to Tenerife.

Ecky Thump
09-02-2015, 14:26
Have you been to Tenerife?


No.


So the answer is you have not been to Tenerife.

That's what he said....No!!:wink:

Luk
09-02-2015, 14:39
So the answer is you have not been to Tenerife.
I've never been to Tenetife, that's why any advice, opinion, anything... is very welcome. Thanks!

OFF topic. Nice fish you have there kingbaker.

Ecky Thump
09-02-2015, 14:44
I've never been to Tenetife, that's why any advice, opinion, anything... is very welcome. Thanks!

OFF topic. Nice fish you have there kingbaker.

I won't try to interpret his question, best to accept that kingbaker is Irish.:D:lol:

kingbaker
09-02-2015, 14:44
My advice would be change your mind and stay where you are.

Luk
09-02-2015, 14:57
My advice would be change your mind and stay where you are.
Any reasons for changing my mind? Can you point me out another place that would be better for my business? (for sure isn't here, in romania)

kingbaker
09-02-2015, 17:22
I cannot be of any assistance, but I'm sure Ecky Thump can.
Best of luck.

Ecky Thump
09-02-2015, 17:47
I cannot be of any assistance, but I'm sure Ecky Thump can.
Best of luck.

As Confucious said.......

"To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.":tiphat:

ribuck
09-02-2015, 18:04
There is a large fun fair that makes its way around Tenerife. At New Year it was in Puerto de la Cruz; now it is in Santa Cruz. It has about eight big rides (ferris wheel, pirate ship, roller coaster, three-storey crazy house, etc). It caters mostly to the local teenagers, who seem to have enough money to pay for rides once a year when it comes to their part of the island.

What you describe sounds like a smaller ride that fits on the back of a trailer and is aimed at children under 10 years old. There are people in the UK who make a (small) living operating that kind of ride on a holiday beach, but it's not an easy job and the season is short.

Tenerife has the advantage that the season is spread out more, with a peak in summer and also a peak in winter. But as has already been pointed out in this conversation, Tenerife is an island mostly full of retired people. There are of course local children, but they don't tend to hang out at the beach very much. The people at the beach are mostly very old. I was at Playa Jardin this afternoon (after school hours), and there was hardly a child around. You would probably do better at some of the resorts on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, where there are more families with young children holidaying.

Having said that, if you want to give it a go, you could try to get permission to set up your ride in the car park at Teresitas beach, which services the population of Santa Cruz and has a younger demographic than the beaches around Puerto de la Cruz or those in the south of the island. I said "try" to get permission, because I don't think it will be easy for an outsider to navigate the notorious bureaucracy.

Here's an even better idea. Why not visit for a month right now. Present yourself at the fun fair, and offer to work for them for free. By the end of the month, you will have an idea of (a) whether you would like to live in Tenerife, (b) how big the potential market is, (c) what your income is likely to be, and (d) how the industry works here.

Luk
09-02-2015, 18:12
So let me know what I don't know!:tiphat:

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Thank you very much ribuck! :respect: My first option was Spain (Barcelona) Latter changed my mind on Tenerife due to whole year round season... I'll have to think more about choosing between Spain, Tenerife, Italy... The more options the more difficult is the decision and the basic documentation to make

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The bureaucracy is the most fearful thing here as well.For example I found a place on a public strand where there was a standard, nonnegotiable flee rent of 11 euro / sq meter/day... about 13000 euro/month for 40 sq m:wow:
My hope is to find private good locations such as a Shopping Mall parking. Do I face the same bureaucracy opening on a private space?( Here for example I don't need a city hall agreement to function on private propriety since I have an ambulant status)

DJ Dangerous
10-02-2015, 14:18
Hi Luk.
I am a very positive "give it a go" sort of person.
However, I would caution you that you have a snowball's chance in Hell of getting permission and licences granted within two months.
Considering that obtaining an opening licence can take months, if not years, you would be foolhardy to try do things legally in such a short space of time.
To legalise a non-Spanish car here, from an EU state, takes a minimum three months, assuming all goes well.
Just imagine trying to legalise a portable funfair ride!
I'd say it would be easier to obtain some sort of temporary permit to "visit" for a fixed period, using your existing Romanian based company.
A lawyer would be your best bet for concrete advice on the legalities and formalities.
DJD

bonitatime
10-02-2015, 23:18
You can be self employed and the paperwork is fairly easy
Finding a Site and getting an Opening liscense are much more complicated
I have a feeling the mainland might be easier

Luk
11-02-2015, 11:00
Thank you DJ Dangerous and bonitatime. Since good weather are coming in a couple of months in Europe I also take into consideration a location in Italy or Spain. At least Roma (Italy) is 14 hours drive away from here. I have to do my homework as I know nothing about how things are going there. In Spain is probably the same as in Tenerife... Meantime I will take your advice and consult a lawyer but before doing that I have to clear up my mind about all aspects I want to ask him. "As Confucious said......."To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.""( :hello: @Ecky ) Right now I don't know what I know not to mention what I don't know
Tenerife still remains the first option. If it is not possible this summer maybe next winter. I know probably the best choice would be to go to Tenerife , see the situation, start the legal procedures etc but right now I can't afford a business trip with little chance of results in the nearest future.

Thanks again to all who posted. Probably it will also help others in my situation.

Anyone who knows something about how expositions, fair trading, or other portable business work please give me a clue about how the things go

Also if you know a trustful gestor or a lawyer who can give me honest answers, please recommand

norte
12-02-2015, 14:00
Luk i heard that tourism business licenses here are very expensive for example in order to open holiday tours you need to deposit 100k someone said here on this forum. also i heard a lot about corruption and bureaucracy. iam from lithuania in lithuania is like in romania - a lot of that ****, but even in lithuania its easier to do business than here:)) just sayin'. as someone said about cars it takes ages to legalise your car here - in lithuania it takes 10 minutes and 15 euro fee, as well as in england it takes very little time and money - here you thousands (i pay over 2k euro for reregistering my car :DDD) and waiting ages. man the politics in here sucks, but everything else is great mnore or less, food and drinks more or less same prices than in lithuania, but money is bigger here..

Jabba43
17-02-2015, 10:53
The mini golf in Los Cristianos must make decent cash, it is always busy. My kids go there a couple times a month. Heh, all cash too. You can charge 3 euro per ride I guess, not much more.

Also there is a trampoline set up in Las Americas on the beach run by some Italians who have been here about 20 years. They both do OK because of the location, so you would need something similar that HAS to be on the strip, if not for sure you would fail as it is a purchase you make as you walk past. In order to do that you would have to rent some area and obtain a licence so you would need a good Gestor.

Luk
21-02-2015, 00:09
Thank you Norte and Jabba43 for the inside view

In order to do that you would have to rent some area and obtain a licence so you would need a good Gestor.
I will find a good gestor as soon as I'll have the ride and the start-up money in order to see if I can make the move this summer. If the start-up expenses are too high for my actual budget I'll give it a try in October (when I will be rich :spin: )

Jabba43
23-02-2015, 15:01
Lets see the ride, pics please.