Rent you can afford

Takings in at the top. What is left for rent at the bottom, against what the landlord is asking. The Corner Café, illustrative.

Takings, a year £291,200 take off VAT at 20% Sales that are yours, net of VAT £242,700 the test: 12% of this, all in £29,120 All-in occupancy budget rent + rates + service charge + insurance take off rates £6,876 and insurance £950 £21,294 Maximum rent the site can carry Maximum rent £21,294 Asking rent £32,000 Gap: about £11,000 a year

Start from sales, not from the rent.

Now try your own rent

Drag the rent the agent quoted. The page works out what the site would have to sell for that rent to pass the book's 12% all-in test.

£331,900
sales net of VAT the site must make a year for this rent to pass
£7,659
takings a week, with VAT back on
137
customers a day at your average spend
Above Dee's estimate of 100 a day

The 12% all-in test is this book's judgement, between a published 6–10% total-occupancy guide and a 12% rent-only ceiling. Rates: GOV.UK multipliers for England 2026/27. VAT at 20%. Nothing here is advice about a particular site; it is arithmetic you can check. Respects your reduced-motion setting.