Start a local newsagent and convenience shop

Local residents, commuters, school children and passing trade, plus regular customers who pick up a paper or lottery ticket each day.

You buy stock from wholesalers and sell at a mark-up. Papers usually give a small margin per copy, so extras like groceries, drinks, cards, parcels and services add much of the income.

• Friendly customer service
• Stock ordering and cash handling
• Early starts and long days on your feet

• Selling alcohol needs a premises licence and a designated premises supervisor with a personal licence, check with your local council
• Rules on selling tobacco and vapes, including age checks and registration, change often, check the current requirements
• Public liability insurance, plus stock, contents and employer's liability insurance once you hire staff
• Food businesses must register with the local council, and you will need to follow food hygiene rules
• Thin margins on papers and long opening hours, so test the numbers carefully before buying
• Business rates, rent and lease terms, and whether a shop sale includes any lottery or parcel agency contracts

Startup costs are estimated at typically around £25,000 to £120,000, depending on whether you buy an existing shop or take over a lease, plus stock and fit-out. Rent, business rates and lease terms need careful checking before you commit.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around £12,000 to £50,000, depending on location, opening hours and range. Margins on papers can be thin and hours are long, so test the numbers carefully before buying.

Check whether selling alcohol needs a premises licence and a designated premises supervisor with a personal licence. Also check the current rules on tobacco and vapes, food business registration, insurance, and whether any lottery or parcel contracts transfer with a shop.