Escape to the Chateau

Me too Ellan but I think that's part of the appeal! I would NEVER do it so its pure escapism: e.g. that episode where Dick was away working and Angel was talking about how long it took just to close all the windows in the evening, never mind keeping them CLEAN, just checking they were all CLOSED took best part of an hour Lol!
Sod that!

Makes me feel quite worn out watching them on new projects within the many rooms of the Chateau. I'm puffed out just changing the curtains.

I love it and often think "where do they get their energy from?" Takes me all my time to paint a room!

@notanan - I haven't watched the recent episodes - what was the problem with the sewage system? I've always had doubts about that moat.
Having renovated 2 houses without mains drainage in France I know there are complicated regulations now. Mainly connected with possible pollution of the drinking water system.
Whereas in the past rural folk made do with more primitive arrangements.

OH how delightful last night's episode was with the whole family getting ready for Christmas. Now this is what i call pure fantasy not like some other programs on TV last night. It transported me to the kind of Christmas i think everyone would love to have and when Pere Noel turned up, the children, well what can say, their little faces and how they hugged him, magical!!

Re watching one of their pre wedding episodes. Imagine having guests coming soon and NO sewage system? ARGH

Much as I crush on Dick I could NOT live that way! Would find it so stressful

I think couples have missed the boat. The earlier bookings will have really got their heart and soul as they were trying to prove it could work. As a more established wedding venue it'll be less personal, even if D&A stay on

I was giving the chateau some thought and decided D & A will probably want to be ahead of the game in any new venture they undertake. They've done the restoration bit, the designer bit, the foodie bit, the wedding venue etc. Being such an energetic, talented couple there must be the next big thing waiting to happen for them somewhere. The trick in business is to move on before the chateau becomes uninteresting or a victim of its own success. On the other hand I could quite happily remain there and carry on running it for a lifetime.

Well Davidhs the new owners are stupid not to have a clause written into the contract that she mustn't open another pub within a 15 mile radius.

Those clauses ARE common, though not legally binding.

However breaking them gives you a bad name in your field so most people do honour them. There is usually a time limit on them: 2-5 years

We bought the lease on ours at rock bottom price, we were tied to a brewery but they were confident we'd make a go of it so it was a good trading relationship. We had a backer that wanted to come in with us to buy the freehold but there was land at the back that had an option for building development so the brewery wouldn't sell it to us. We still did OK though and sold the lease and goodwill in 1998.

That kind of thing went on around here during the eighties. It all came a cropper during the nineties recession.

Very good indeed, buys a free house, works hard, manages it personally, is generous to customers lots of freebies. The accounts looked good but her management time was not included and other expenses did not appear, all perfectly above board of course. The aim is not to make money out of trading, just the going concern value.

I think it was 10 miles, buyers new to the trade, but it wouldn’t
matter how far, her formula would work anywhere.

It will be difficult to have a clause like that written in, Ellianne because if she's that successful the breweries will be falling over themselves to offer her the best deals available and if she buys the freeholds, she'll be able to pick and choose.

With pubs struggling to survive she must be very good indeed if they are all successful.

Well Davidhs the new owners are stupid not to have a clause written into the contract that she mustn't open another pub within a 15 mile radius.

Wether Dick and Angel are thinking of selling on as a going concern I have no idea, I’m sure there will be a sucker with money burning a hole in their pocket who think they will be able to carry on - they will fall flat on their face!.

We have a very clever lady working in this area, buys a run down pub, hypes it up with imaginative accounts then sells it on as a going concern after 3 yrs. The downside is that another venue is opened a few miles away and all her staff and regulars migrate to that, very astute, so far it has happened 6 times.

So, say 2 years down the line when D &A no longer own the chateau and are no longer on the TV a would you:
a) still book the chateau knowing this
b) expect to book the venue at a much reduced rate
c) look at other French chateaux venues
???

Hmm...I still wouldn’t be happy if I’d booked a wedding at the D&A Chateau and found they’d sold the business and weren’t going to be there. You’re buying the whole package for something like a wedding and that includes them.

We have a business. Being a small business its very much based on people knowing and liking us. We can still sell it with our client list. Many clients wouldnt want to work with a new owner but that doesnt matter. The client list still has value because it is evidence that the business is viable which helps new owners secure finance etc

IF the contracts include Dick being celebrant etc, it can be worked around.

Its not an uncommon thing. Many businesses build their reputations on the personalities of their owners AND are still sold with a client or booking list. Its not prohibitive

No but notanan suggested the bookings could be conditional.

I wouldn't risk buying it on those terms even if I had a spare £2 million in the bank.

If the contract doesn’t specify that D&A will be there will that constitute breach of contract?

If the bookings are conditional on Dick and Angel being there, it's likely people will want their deposits back if they're not.

D&A would be breaking their part of the contract.

I doubt a deal like that would appeal to millionaire celebrities, notanan

Why not? I can see it appealing to a "character" like Dick to swan back to be the celebrant in exchange for a nice fee for his next project!

Its all hypothetical anyway, but the chateau can be sold with bookings in place even if the bookings are conditional on Dick and Angel

When we sold our French chateau with a business attached, part of the selling price included the "goodwill" which was made up of next year's bookings. After all, we had already spent money on advertising and collecting deposits etc. There was no suggestion we should stay on because the new people wanted to enjoy the profits for themselves. Once you've been so involved in a venture I think D & A would find it very hard to effectively work for someone else.