Hospitality business ideas with a startup budget over £20,000
99 ideas
A budget above £20,000 opens up hospitality ideas that need premises, fit-out, equipment or a licence-ready venue. This page lists 99 of them, from a micropub in a small unit or a neighbourhood wine bar to a pub with rooms on a tenancy or lease.
Dryland sled dog ride centre
Run guided wheeled-rig rides with your own team of sled dogs on forest tracks or farmland for tourists and day-trippers.
- £12k-55k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Sled dog rides on a partner estate
Offer sled dog rides on an estate, farm park or holiday site that already has visitors, and share the income with the landowner.
- £6k-30k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Whole-property non-smoking holiday cottage
Run a cottage, flat or house as a self-catering holiday let with a no-smoking rule, rented by the stay.
- £5k-25k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Local boat trip operator
Run sightseeing or wildlife trips from a local harbour, river or lake with one small passenger boat.
- £15k-75k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Catering and event equipment hire business
Rent ovens, furniture and serving equipment to caterers and event hosts from a small unit, with van delivery.
- £40k-150k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Independent high street travel agency
Open a small local travel shop offering tailor-made holidays, group trips and face-to-face advice.
- £8k-35k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small bed and breakfast
Run a few guest rooms with a cooked breakfast, as a full-time home-and-business life.
- £5k-25k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small balloon flight operator
Run your own passenger balloon flights with a pilot and chase crew, selling seats directly to visitors and celebrants.
- £30k-150k
- Part-time
- Out and about
One-boat narrowboat holiday hire
Buy one narrowboat and rent it by the week to holidaymakers on the canals.
- £30k-90k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Day boat hire at a canal or river base
Rent small day boats by the hour or day to visitors from a landing stage on a canal or river.
- £15k-80k
- Part-time
- Own premises
One or two camping cabins on your land
Add a simple cabin to spare land and rent it by the night to couples, families and walkers.
- £8k-35k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Small owner-run hotel
Run a small hotel of around 6 to 12 rooms, serving breakfast and looking after guests yourself.
- £40k-200k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small hotel with restaurant and bar
Run a small hotel that also serves dinner and drinks to guests and local diners, bringing in more income per visitor.
- £80k-400k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Holiday house for weekly and short stays
Furnish a house you own or control and let it to holidaymakers by the night or week.
- £5k-25k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Lakeside fishing lodges and pods
Offer anglers comfortable pods or lodges beside a stocked lake, with fishing included in the stay.
- £30k-150k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Serviced motorhome park with hardstanding pitches
Run a larger park with hook-ups, hardstandings and facilities, open for much of the year.
- £300k-1200k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Single log cabin holiday let
Put one timber cabin on land you own and let it to holidaymakers by the night or the week.
- £15k-60k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Self-catering ranch stays with horse activities
Convert barns or cabins into holiday lets and run riding, trekking and farm experiences as a full-time rural getaway.
- £250k-900k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small live music bar or venue
Run a small bar or room with regular gigs, earning from tickets, drinks and food.
- £15k-70k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small couple-run country house hotel
Take over or lease a small period house and run it with rooms, meals and events for guests wanting a rural break.
- £150k-600k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Self-catering holiday cottage or flat
Run a whole property as a self-catering holiday let, with a cleaner and guest messaging to keep it manageable.
- £8k-30k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Shepherd's hut or pod holiday let on your land
Add a shepherd's hut, cabin or pod to land you own or farm and let it to guests looking for a countryside break.
- £10k-35k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
Small town or city hostel
Lease a building and rent beds by the night to backpackers, walkers and budget travellers.
- £40k-150k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Whale and dolphin boat trips with your own boat
Run seasonal wildlife boat trips from a coastal harbour using your own small passenger boat.
- £30k-150k
- Full-time
- Out and about
About these ideas
They suit people who can fund a larger launch, are comfortable with long, unsociable hours, and want to build something with real customer loyalty. Before anything else, work out your full costs, including deposits, rent, insurance, stock and a cash cushion for slow weeks. Then look at the location, the lease terms and the licences or permissions the venture may need. Lower-footprint options such as a delivery-only fast food kitchen are also included if you want to test demand before committing to a venue.
More ideas
- Small portfolio of serviced apartments
- Campsite with pods and touring pitches
- Full-time B&B or small guesthouse
- Small camping cabin site
- Farm campsite with pods or bell tents
- Small log cabin holiday site
- Rural bunkhouse for walkers and cyclists
- Minibus day tours for small groups
- Party and meeting room hire
- Function room venue with food and bar
- Small pilgrim hostel in its own building
- Self-catering farm cottage
- Glamping pods or shepherd huts on the farm
- Small roadside motel
- Small retreat house with your own programmes
- Small boarding house for workers and long stays
- Pub with rooms on a tenancy or lease
- Buy and run a small village inn
- Retreat venue hired by visiting teachers and groups
- Holiday let agency with a local office
- Neighbourhood cocktail bar
- Bartending school with its own training bar
- Neighbourhood fish and chip shop
- Pool hall with a bar
- Pool club with hourly table hire
- Small shisha lounge with soft drinks and snacks
- Small tiki bar with its own premises
- Small espresso bar with a counter
- Mobile espresso bar (cart, trailer or van)
- Small independent club venue
- Independent lounge bar
- Independent tea room
- Local takeaway and fast food shop
- Small rock music club with its own venue
- Neighbourhood bar in your own premises
- Mobile bar for weddings and events
- Brewpub with its own beer and kitchen
- Micropub with a small brew kit
- Your own LGBTQ+ bar or nightclub
- Karaoke bar with private rooms
- Mahjong house with your own premises
- Seasonal pop-up beer garden
- Year-round beer garden with a small bar
- Mobile fish and chip van
- Fast food van or trailer
- Delivery-only fast food kitchen
- Neighbourhood bar with live music nights
- Gig venue bar with ticketed shows
- Small standing-only neighbourhood bar
- Internet cafe with printing and drinks
- Gaming internet cafe
- Neighbourhood wine bar
- Neighbourhood LGBTQ+ bar
- Neighbourhood tapas bar
- Neighbourhood sports bar
- Your own salsa bar
- Irish-style pub on a tenancy
- Independent Irish bar and kitchen
- Micropub in a small unit
- Tenanted or leased pub
- Small neighbourhood dart bar
- Darts-focused local pub on a tenancy
- Sit-down fish and chip restaurant
- Take over an existing eat-in chippy
- Cat cafe with its own premises
- Queer bar with its own premises
- Neighbourhood piano bar
- Oxygen cocktail bar in a small unit
- Private-room karaoke bar
- Gastropub run on a lease or tenancy
- Run the food side of a pub
- Small cider bar with a local following
- Neighbourhood beer hall
- Escape room centre with themed rooms
- Lesbian and queer women's bar
Questions
How much cash should I keep back on top of my startup budget?
Hospitality income can be uneven, especially in the first months and in quieter seasons. Many owners hold a reserve for rent, wages, stock and repairs. Check your fixed monthly costs and decide how many weeks of trading losses you could comfortably cover.
What licences and permissions should I check for a hospitality business?
Requirements vary by idea and location. Things to check include a premises licence and personal licence if you sell alcohol, food business registration, planning use class, fire safety and any music or entertainment permissions. Your local council can explain what applies to you.
Should I buy, lease or take on a tenancy for a pub or venue?
Each route carries different costs and obligations. Check lease length, rent review terms, repair responsibilities, any tie to a brewery or pub company, and what is included in the price. A solicitor and an accountant can help you compare the options before you commit.