Hospitality business ideas you can start for up to £20,000
34 ideas
Hospitality doesn't always mean buying a restaurant lease. These 34 ideas keep startup costs to £20,000 or less, often by using a space you already have, renting rather than buying, or trading in short bursts.
Non-smoking holiday let in your annexe
Let a self-contained annexe, cabin or garden room to guests on a no-smoking basis, charged per night.
- £1.5k-7.5k
- Side hustle
- From home
Specialist group trips sold online
Plan themed group trips such as walking or food breaks, and sell places through your own website.
- £1k-8k
- Side hustle
- Online
Small field campsite
Open a few tent and campervan pitches on spare land and welcome campers for the summer season.
- £3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Self-catering holiday let
Furnish an annexe, cabin or small property and let it to guests for short stays.
- £3k-15k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Single holiday apartment let
Furnish one flat and rent it to holidaymakers by the night through booking sites.
- £2k-10k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Day-ticket fishing lake with camping pitches
Open a small pond or lake to anglers for day tickets, with a few simple pitches for overnight stays.
- £3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Small motorhome stopover on your land
Turn a spare field or paddock into a handful of pitches for motorhome owners staying overnight.
- £1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Farm stay with guest rooms or a hut
Host guests overnight in a spare room or shepherd's hut, with farm tours included.
- £3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Small farm field campsite
Open a field or two on your farm to tent and campervan guests during the summer months.
- £3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Online cruise agency with your own brand
Run your own cruise brand with a website and email list, booking holidays directly with cruise lines and tour operators.
- £1.5k-7.5k
- Part-time
- Online
Full-service holiday let management
Run a hands-on agency with a small team handling bookings, changeovers and guest care for owners.
- £3k-15k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Farm stay with guided riding breaks
Offer B&B-style stays and guided hacks to guests using the spare rooms, horses and land you already have.
- £3k-15k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Serviced flat let on a landlord's lease
Lease one furnished flat from a landlord, with written permission, and let it to business travellers and visitors on short stays.
- £3k-12k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Holiday let in a flat you already own
Furnish a flat or annex you own and let it to holidaymakers by the night, alongside your day job.
- £3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Rent-to-rent holiday apartment
Lease an apartment from a landlord who agrees to holiday letting, furnish it and run it for guests without buying property.
- £4k-18k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Wildlife trip seller using a local licensed skipper
Market and sell whale watching trips run on a local licensed boat, without buying a boat yourself.
- £1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
One serviced apartment as a side business
Furnish and run one flat for short stays, with cleaning and check-in handled to a hotel-like standard.
- £3k-10k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Pilgrim bunkroom at home
Offer simple, low-cost beds to walkers from a spare room or outbuilding on or near a pilgrim route.
- £3k-15k
- Side hustle
- From home
Farmhouse bed and breakfast
Turn spare rooms in your farmhouse into a B&B for guests who want a real countryside stay.
- £3k-15k
- Side hustle
- From home
Local tableware delivery round
Deliver cups, plates and packaging by van to cafes, food traders and event caterers in your area.
- £2.5k-12k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Pop-up dinner theatre nights
Stage a ticketed show and set meal in a pub function room or hall, selling combined tickets to the public.
- £1.5k-6k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Pop-up tiki bar at venues and events
Run a tropical cocktail bar for a night or a season inside existing venues, markets and private events.
- £3k-12k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Regular club night in a hired venue
Run a monthly or weekly club night in an existing licensed venue, without leasing your own.
- £1k-6k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Pop-up karaoke bar nights
Test the idea by running a karaoke bar night in a hired room or quiet venue before you commit to premises.
- £2k-8k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
About these ideas
Some suit people with land or a spare property, such as a small motorhome stopover or a farm stay with guided riding breaks. Others, like a pop-up wine bar for events or a rent-to-rent holiday apartment, let you test demand before committing much money. Before you choose, think about licensing, insurance, planning rules and how much of your time guests or customers will need. Check seasonality too, because income in hospitality can swing a good deal across the year. Start with the idea that fits your assets, schedule and comfort with people.
More ideas
- Pop-up lounge bar nights
- Pop-up standing bar in a borrowed space
- Pop-up wine bar for events
- Tapas pop-up in an existing pub or bar
- Pop-up animal cafe sessions
- Pop-up piano bar nights
- Pop-up oxygen cocktail stall
- Pop-up beer hall weekends
- Mobile escape room for events and venues
- Pop-up cider bar for events
Questions
Do I need a licence to start a hospitality business in the UK?
Often, yes, but it depends on what you offer. Selling alcohol, serving food, or hosting events may need a premises or personal licence, plus food business registration. Check with your local council before spending money or taking bookings.
Can I run a holiday let or stopover on my own property?
Possibly, but check first. Look at planning permission, mortgage or lease terms, insurance, safety requirements and any local rules on short-term lets or camping use. Your council and your lender or landlord are sensible first contacts.
How can I keep hospitality startup costs low?
Consider pop-up formats, renting rather than buying, and using space you already own. Test demand with a small run of events or bookings first. Also budget for insurance, licensing, equipment and a cash buffer for quiet periods.