Why Opening Several New Venues in Two Months Has Reminded Me Why Hospitality Still Matters
I’ll be honest there have been moments over the last few months where I’ve sat back, taken a breath, and thought: this industry asks a lot of people. More than most. More than it probably should.
And yet, despite the costs, the pressure, the paperwork, the sleepless nights and the constant question of “is this the right time?” – people are still opening hospitality venues.
In the last two months alone, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside owners and operators opening several brand-new venues all with different ideas and concepts. In this climate. And that deserves recognition (for them, not me… well me too)!
This post is for them and for anyone else out there quietly pushing forward, even when it would be easier to stop.
Opening a Hospitality Venue Right Now Is Not for the Faint-Hearted
Let’s not sugar-coat it. Opening a hospitality business in today’s market is hard work.
It’s spreadsheets at midnight.
It’s conversations with lenders and investors that don’t always end the way you hoped.
It’s navigating compliance, HR, licensing, food safety, fire safety, employment law. All often while trying to design a menu and recruit a team at the same time.
I’ve watched owners sit across the table from me with excitement in their eyes and exhaustion in their shoulders. People who believe deeply in what they’re building, but are carrying the full weight of it on their own.
And that’s the bit that gets me every time.
Because hospitality owners are resilient by nature, but resilience doesn’t mean you should have to do everything alone.
What the Last Two Months Have Meant to Me Personally
Helping open several venues recently hasn’t felt like “work” in the traditional sense. It’s felt personal.
I’ve been involved in:
- Making sure compliance was right from day one
- Setting up HR structures that protect both the business and the team
- Supporting project management so openings didn’t spiral into chaos
- Being a calm voice when everything felt urgent
And I’ve felt proud. Genuinely proud.
Not because of numbers or milestones, but because I witness first-hand what happens when owners are supported properly from the start. Confidence grows. Decisions become clearer. Teams feel safer. And businesses open on stronger foundations.
There’s a huge difference between opening a venue and opening one well.
We’re All Pulling in the Same Direction
Something I say a lot, and truly believe, is this: we all want the same thing.
We want hospitality to be:
- profitable
- respected
- well-run
- somewhere people are proud to work
- somewhere guests genuinely want to spend their time
That’s the goal I share with every client I work with.
The Fresh Group doesn’t exist to complicate things or add cost JUST for the sake of it. We exist to make the hard stuff easier, to stop small oversights becoming big problems, and to help businesses start in a way that gives them a fighting chance.
And I’ll say this plainly, because it matters: we are not expensive.
What we do does of course cost money, but it costs far less than getting things wrong early, far less than delays, fines, restructures, or starting again six months down the line because the foundations weren’t solid.
Getting it right from the start changes everything.
Why I Care So Much About the Start and the Journey After
I’ve seen too many great ideas struggle not because they weren’t good enough but because the support wasn’t there when it was needed most.
And that doesn’t just apply to new openings.
Right now, established hospitality businesses are feeling the pinch more than ever. Rising costs. Changing legislation. Government decisions that add pressure without adding support. Even well-run venues are having to re-evaluate how they operate, manage people, and stay compliant without burning out.
That’s where ongoing support matters.
Hospitality isn’t a “set it up and walk away” industry. It evolves, tightens, stretches and sometimes just needs an extra pair of experienced eyes to help steady the ship.
A Personal Call to Action
Whether you’re
- opening a brand-new venue, or
- running an established business that needs extra support, clarity, or breathing space
I want you to know this:
The Fresh Group is here for the whole journey – not just the start.
We work with businesses at every stage, helping with compliance, HR, leadership structure and project support especially when external pressures make everything feel heavier than it should.
Not to take over.
Not to overcomplicate.
But to support you properly, practically, and affordably, so you can focus on running your business.
You’ll find more detail on the website.
You’ll see how we work in the brochure.
If things feel tight, uncertain, or overwhelming right now, give me a call, a message or send a carrier pigeon. Even if it’s just for a conversation.
Sometimes that’s all it takes to start moving forward again.
Final Thought
Opening several new venues in two months has reminded me of something important:
Hospitality is still full of brave people.
Still full of belief.
Still full of potential.
And as long as there are owners willing to back themselves, whether they’re just starting out or fighting to keep things strong , I’ll keep showing up to support them.
Because when hospitality is done well, everyone benefits.
Here’s to the new openings.
Here’s to resilience.
And here’s to making hospitality great, profitable, and somewhere people genuinely want to be.
