Considering swapping I.T. to open a pub...? am i mad?

http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/forum.ma/SaveReplyToPostPost/0

You are not mad if you are able to cobble together all the ingredients of a successful business. That means you must be able to make an interior that is inviting and then produce food and drink at a consistently high standard and be able to serve it efficeiently on time and all the time. There's a thousand other things too, you ahve to be good at marketing and you should / MUST do market research with your potential punters BEFORE you get anywhere near committment to a property you like.

Certainly stick to free trade. Do NOT touch a tied premises unless it's to buy the freehold. If you do a good enough business plan and research you'll be surprised that you can afford a freehold. Remember this: there is no such thing as a free lunch and there certainly is no such thing as a 'low cost entry'.

If your mate with the Punch pub reckon's he's doing well - get the detail, get the figures look into it and ask some tough questions.

Good luck.