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00:00For many of us, a brand new life in sunny Europe is the ultimate dream.
00:05I kind of pinch myself and go, is this real?
00:09And am I living in some sort of other universe?
00:11Cheers, Ellen.
00:12Over the last decade, we've followed hundreds of Brits
00:16setting up anything from cycling retreats and diving schools in Greece...
00:20That's a business where you're underwater and you can't speak to each other.
00:24...to glamp sites and horse riding holidays in Italy.
00:28Chaos and mayhem!
00:32Now we're catching up with them.
00:34Huge, massive change, which is the biggest shock of my life.
00:38To see if their new life was everything they'd hoped for.
00:41Here's to many more sunset barbecues.
00:44Or if they had to give up on their dreams.
00:46You know what, if this is what it's going to continue like, then I don't need this.
00:50It's a crazy rollercoaster ride.
00:54When you begin a new life in the sun...
00:57We winged it and it worked.
01:00On today's show, we revisit a thrifty couple at a French manor house.
01:07We do save a lot of money by fixing, repairing and reinstalling.
01:13Could a brand new venture be their ticket to success?
01:17People are enjoying themselves, they're having fun.
01:20Yeah.
01:20The atmosphere's okay.
01:22There could be more people, but...
01:24I don't have enough friends.
01:24You don't have enough friends for that.
01:26In Spain, we're back at a Cuban-themed cocktail bar.
01:31Hard to believe that it actually exceeded expectation.
01:34A bit overwhelming.
01:34I mean, really, you couldn't expect for more for an opening night.
01:37But will staffing challenges leave them shaken?
01:40You've got to make the call, what's best for you, 110%.
01:44But I would say coddle the hop.
01:46And we revisit a couple living their dream on the Costa Blanca.
01:51We love it over here, you know.
01:53We have the beach on that doorstep, we have the sea.
01:55But now they have bigger dreams to follow.
01:58Normally, during the wintertime, we always like to have little projects.
02:01And we normally shut down for a month from January to February.
02:07And last year was one of the biggest ones that we had.
02:19Charente in west-central France is known for its tranquil views,
02:23its historical towns of Cognac and Angoulême,
02:27and the picturesque river from which it takes its name.
02:30But that's not the end of its appeal.
02:33I like the food.
02:34I like the people are really nice.
02:36You know, the weather's nice.
02:38With property available for a fraction of the price you would pay in the UK,
02:43former head of sales Millie, company director Alex and their family
02:47saw a huge opportunity to leave the corporate rat race behind for a better life.
02:53We couldn't have had what we have here in the UK.
02:57The difference is, here, we have more to live with.
03:02We have more for us.
03:05When we first met them, they were making the move from Ramsgate
03:09to a 16th-century estate in Montboye.
03:12We have a key, which is very exciting.
03:15They'd paid €330,000 to be the custodians of a five-bed manor house,
03:22two barns, numerous outbuildings and idyllic gardens.
03:26What do you think about living here?
03:28How do you feel about it?
03:29It is good!
03:34It wasn't just Millie and Alex that were setting up home.
03:37The animal-loving couple, who already had dogs, cats, chickens, goats and pigs,
03:44welcomed two ponies as a surprise for daughters Darcy and Lola.
03:49It looks so cool.
03:52Very, very, very, very, very, very, very happy.
03:56We would never have been able to do this in the UK.
04:00No, because we just can't afford the land or the upkeep.
04:03No.
04:04To be able to afford their menagerie,
04:06they were converting one of their outbuildings into a jeet.
04:10And with the budget being tight, their watchword was thrift.
04:16We do save a lot of money by fixing, repairing and reinstalling.
04:22They gave themselves a year to get the jeet renovated and open.
04:26But as they reached June 2021,
04:29though work on the inside was making good progress,
04:32installing a septic tank outside had been severely weather-affected.
04:37We've got about six inches of water in the bottom of the hole.
04:44But it's cost us a day,
04:46which, when we're on a timescale, every day counts.
04:51As July approached,
04:53it was clear they were going to miss their deadline.
04:55So their opening date was pushed back four weeks to August.
05:01It's just typical.
05:03At the time we need to get outside,
05:06we have the wettest June France has had in nine years.
05:10With an opening booking secured,
05:13they doubled down to get finished in time.
05:15We've done quite a lot of work.
05:17So Alex has started building the kitchen unit.
05:21The ceiling is nearly done now.
05:23I've got a couple of bits just to touch up.
05:25So I've got quite a lot of painting done, which is good,
05:28and it doesn't seem quite as daunting anymore.
05:30Having a property full of animals, though,
05:33meant that their work wasn't always uninterrupted.
05:36Pigs are out.
05:38How?
05:38I don't know.
05:40Their pigs, Spamala Anderson and Kevin Bacon,
05:44were proving to be a particular handful.
05:47Come on.
05:50Go on.
05:52Are you having a poop?
05:55Despite the animal emergencies with a lot of graft and a few late nights,
06:00they transformed their outbuilding into a stylish three-bed,
06:04modern yet rustic, jeet, ready to open in August.
06:09Le Boucher is open.
06:11Yeah.
06:11We're open for business, which is exciting.
06:16But they couldn't rest on their laurels.
06:19We're going to have to continue working very hard
06:21and being exhausted this year.
06:24And then it means next summer we'll have three jeets open.
06:28Which means we've got enough to live on for the following year
06:31and enough to invest into another jeet.
06:40It's three years later.
06:42We're back in Mont Boyer
06:43and Alex and Millie's jeet is as successful as they'd hoped.
06:48I think the first full season we had, we were pretty much fully booked.
06:52We had the odd little gap, which was fine.
06:55And then...
06:56But since then, we've had fully booked summers,
07:00which has been really good.
07:02But the workload has proven to be immense.
07:06The thing is, we didn't buy a little cottage somewhere
07:10that needed a bit of renovation.
07:11We bought a monster of a place that was kind of falling apart.
07:16So I think from day one we knew it was going to be really hard work.
07:20And it has been.
07:22With a fully booked jeet, a family,
07:24and a whole zoo worth of animals to look after,
07:27have this couple been able to build upon their success?
07:39With over 170 beaches,
07:42the Costa Blanca is a sun-kissed haven
07:45for all those who like messing about on the water.
07:48If you can sail it, ride it, or paddle it,
07:51there's a multitude of opportunities.
07:53We love it over here, you know.
07:55We have the beach on our doorstep, we have the sea.
07:58I love the warmth, the sun.
08:01Having met in Spain and bonded over paddleboarding,
08:05Mark and his Polish partner Natalia settled in the town of Torrevieca,
08:10opening a cafe and paddleboarding business on the local beach.
08:14When we met them,
08:16they were scoping out a second location at a nearby marina.
08:20We are in very flat-water conditions,
08:22which is perfect for paddleboarding,
08:23because you have always passing traffic along the boardwalk here.
08:27It is a very popular destination,
08:29and there's a lot of big fishes here,
08:30so that's one of the things for me.
08:31I kind of feel like a small fish in this area.
08:35Business was slow at first in Torrevieca,
08:38but Mark managed to put his finger on why.
08:41The problem is here is that in the daytime,
08:43because we have no kind of shade or anything,
08:45it's very hot.
08:47In Spanish in general,
08:48we prefer the evening times outside of the heat.
08:50But I think we're going to try and move the hours more
08:52from 4pm to about 9pm.
08:54It's just going to take time to build up the clientele
08:55and build up our reputation in this area.
08:59And running a sunset class was their saviour
09:01when a storm forced them to temporarily close
09:04their beach base at Cabo Roig.
09:07I think the sunset paddle was the great idea,
09:10the nicest one,
09:11because it's actually worked there amazingly,
09:14and it's fun.
09:16But when we revisited them,
09:18just after the Covid restrictions hit,
09:21they'd been forced to close their marina location.
09:24Because of all the lockdown
09:25and unknown situation in the future,
09:28we decided not to risk too much
09:30in case if we won't be able to survive, basically.
09:35Instead, they were growing in other ways,
09:38as whilst they prepared to welcome their second child,
09:41Mark and Natalia had improved the scale of their cafe.
09:45Don't get us wrong,
09:46the paddle bowling we love,
09:47and it's one of those passions that we've always had,
09:49and we can always enjoy doing the paddle bowling,
09:51but it's great to have somewhere to fall back on.
09:54We actually try to do a lot of reforms
09:56on our outside terrace in the cafe.
09:59So, me and my father,
10:00we kind of built a new roof,
10:01built a new bar.
10:03They even created a small space
10:05for Natalia to sell some homemade clothes.
10:09We have our few T-shirts with our new logo.
10:13This is the wall hangers,
10:15crushing bags,
10:17hats for winter,
10:18I know, in Spain,
10:19but it's quite chilly,
10:20especially when you're surfing,
10:21it's nice after,
10:22it's very comfortable.
10:24When we returned two years later,
10:26Natalia's clothes had taken off to such an extent
10:29that the couple had invested in a shop next door to the cafe.
10:34It kept on growing strength to strength.
10:36Once this unit became available,
10:38we didn't really hesitate to try and take it
10:41and try and expand the business even further.
10:45Partnering with Mark's niece, Sinead,
10:47they were attempting to bring a little homespun glamour
10:50to Torra Vieca.
10:52So, it's a grand opening today.
10:54We're very exciting.
10:55Yeah, it was log nights.
10:56What are you opening up?
10:5910 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.
11:02And the shop proved to be an instant success.
11:06Yeah, lots of people come through the doors,
11:09many of them buying some dresses,
11:12some outfits, so it's brilliant.
11:15Champagne is flowing, well, karma.
11:18But with three businesses and two young children,
11:21it was proving to be a logistical challenge.
11:25This morning, I've already been for the shopping for the cafe.
11:28We've been down to unpack the trailer for the paddleboarding.
11:30After the 10 o'clock and 11 o'clock classes,
11:32we're going to go down to the cafe,
11:33see how the girls are getting on to the inauguration
11:35and see how the cafe is going.
11:37Had they bitten off more than they could chew?
11:46It's two years later,
11:47and they're going great guns.
11:51So, over the last couple of years,
11:53we've been really busy with expanding the business
11:55and expanding our brand with Mackay,
11:58the paddleboarding, and also Natty Shop.
12:00It hasn't all been plain sailing, though,
12:03as part of the paddleboarding business ran aground for a year.
12:06I've had a few hiccups over the years
12:09with the paddleboarding,
12:11due down to contracts and stuff from the Antemianto.
12:14But other than that, we'll be moving onwards and upwards.
12:16But having got the contracts sorted,
12:19the paddleboards are back on Cabo Roig Beach,
12:22and Mark and Natalya have their sights set
12:24on growing their business even further.
12:28So, as the place got more and more popular,
12:31obviously we're starting to save a little bit of money,
12:32but then we actually reinvested all of that money.
12:35It was quite an extended amount of money
12:38that we had to put into the business
12:39to make all this come through.
12:41But I believe it was the right direction to go into
12:43to continue our growth in the hospitality industry.
12:48But how have they spent their hard-earned cash?
12:50And will their investment pay off?
12:58Still to come, in Torremolinos,
13:01will a successful bar survive a staffing upheaval?
13:05I must admit I was surprised.
13:07I was taken aback.
13:09And in the Chirante,
13:11is it last orders for Millie and Alex's new project?
13:15It's taken a long time because of life, really.
13:21Life has sort of gotten in the way.
13:24OK.
13:36The lively resort of Torremolinos
13:39is the jewel of Spain's Costa del Sol.
13:42With its seven kilometres of golden beaches,
13:45lapped by the crystal blue Mediterranean,
13:48and 300 days of sunshine per year,
13:51it delights hundreds of thousands of British visitors annually.
13:56The people are so friendly.
13:58Brilliant bars and restaurants, all under the sun.
14:01It was this lifestyle that attracted Morgan and his husband Patrick
14:05to quit their jobs in banking and nursing
14:08and swap London for the Costa.
14:10So we've lived in Spain now for seven years.
14:13And before we'd done the bar,
14:15we were really enjoying living here in Torremolinos.
14:18It's just a pure quality of life.
14:19And then you throw in basically permanently blue skies and sunshine
14:24and a beach,
14:25and that's it.
14:27There's a cocktail for you.
14:28And cocktails are hugely important to this couple,
14:31as when we first met them,
14:34they'd blended a perfect partnership with Pete,
14:37who's originally from the Netherlands,
14:38but now firmly settled in Spain.
14:41Their business idea was to create
14:43the perfect Cuban-themed cocktail bar for Torremolinos.
14:48The beach is just literally behind us here,
14:50so it's a brilliant location.
14:53They were still a long way from opening,
14:55as the four units they'd taken on
14:57were nothing more than shells.
15:00Our plans are very grandiose, I have to be honest.
15:03Seedings have to be made, bars have to be made.
15:06We're redesigning the whole floor concept.
15:08The furniture is going to be high-end.
15:10So there's a lot of expense.
15:13Their first task was to knock through the walls
15:15so that their units became one big bar room.
15:19Under the watchful eye of builder Felix,
15:22they even got to lend a hand.
15:26One more again.
15:29Brilliant.
15:33It's not as easy as it looks.
15:34I can do that for a while.
15:38With the professional back in control,
15:41the progress was rapid.
15:43However, a nationwide haulage strike
15:45threatened to crash their plan
15:47to open in just four months' time.
15:50He can't get any materials
15:52because of the strike,
15:54because supermarkets are empty,
15:56but also the big markets
15:57where he needs to get all the building materials.
16:00But in Felix, they had a crafty worker
16:02who managed to keep the project on track.
16:05I think we probably lost about a day,
16:08which was a tremendous result from we've done a cubby weeks.
16:11And before their eyes,
16:13the room was starting to take shape.
16:16Oh, wow.
16:17Oh, wow.
16:17That's fantastic.
16:19Oh, wow.
16:19That looks excellent.
16:21That looks so bright.
16:22Very good.
16:24Good luck.
16:25Wow.
16:26With the bar progressing nicely,
16:28it was time to finalise the menu.
16:32Everybody's doing strawberry daiquiri, right?
16:34I know you have to have it on the menu,
16:35but it's not going to drive people in.
16:39So I've been experimenting with spiced pineapple daiquiri,
16:43and it's totally frozen one, and it's delicious.
16:47And their test event showed promise.
16:50Really refreshing.
16:51I was dying to try it, because I love strawberry daiquiris.
16:54That is so different.
16:56Oh, it's delicious.
16:57It's gorgeous.
16:58I think it's fantastic.
17:00Over the summer months,
17:02they installed a curved pine bar,
17:04new windows, signage,
17:06and unveiled the distinctive centrepiece of Havana's.
17:10OK, we're going to present you our mural.
17:15Oh.
17:17Ta-da!
17:17Ta-da!
17:18I think this is one of those things
17:21that makes the bar special.
17:22Though delays to paperwork
17:24and the finishing touches
17:25meant that they missed their original opening date,
17:28as October approached,
17:31they were finally ready.
17:33What once was four derelict units
17:35had been bonded together
17:37and revolutionised into a classy, chic,
17:40Cuban-themed cocktail destination.
17:43This is it.
17:44Curtains up, people.
17:45Curtains up.
17:46It's showtime.
17:46Of course, yeah.
17:47Their opening night exploded into life,
17:51and the bar was an instant success.
17:5460 bottles of Carbacal.
17:56It's going a bit chaotic,
17:58but very well.
18:00Hard to believe that it actually exceeded expectation.
18:03A bit overwhelming.
18:04I mean, really,
18:04you couldn't expect from Warford an opening night.
18:07And within weeks,
18:09the bar had become a fixture
18:10in the Torremolinos nightlife.
18:14We have a brilliant team working for us.
18:16Cocktails are fantastic.
18:18Terraces full.
18:19And it's given us a good foundation
18:20to build on for next year
18:22when the tourists come back on Mars.
18:29We're back in Torremolinos,
18:31and it seems that the boys' hard work
18:33to get the bar open
18:34has paid off spectacularly.
18:37We're open almost two years now,
18:39and we've really became established
18:41as the cocktail bar in Torremolinos,
18:43which is fantastic.
18:45However, this success has come with a price.
18:48The trio has become a duo,
18:50as Pete had health issues
18:52and has left the business.
18:55I was aware
18:57that, you know,
18:58Peter might have more challenges,
19:01but I wasn't expecting it.
19:03I totally understand it.
19:05It makes total sense.
19:07You've got to make the call.
19:07What's best for you?
19:08110%.
19:09But I would say caught on the hop.
19:12So will Morgan and Patrick
19:13manage to keep this cocktail bar shaking
19:16now that they're all on their own?
19:23Back in the Chirant,
19:25Alex and Millie may still only have one sheet open,
19:29but elsewhere on their site,
19:30their animal clan is still growing.
19:33We still have ponies.
19:35We still have the horses with an addition,
19:38Misty, who's around.
19:40We've got a new cat.
19:41There's a third cat.
19:43Yeah.
19:43And it seems that Millie's reputation
19:46amongst the local community
19:47as an animal lover is growing too.
19:51I have now become renowned in the area
19:53as someone who always will fall for a sob story.
19:58Yeah.
19:58And it's got to the point now
19:59where the vet rings me with sad,
20:00sad animal stories.
20:02She got brought four or five one-day-old kittens.
20:06And then I got a phone call
20:07telling me about these poor little sad kittens.
20:09And so we have one of those now as well.
20:13But even Millie's patience
20:15with our four-legged friends
20:17has its limitations.
20:19And they've had to say goodbye
20:20to Spamala-Anderson and Kevin Bacon.
20:24I love pigs,
20:25but they were quite high maintenance.
20:29So sadly, pigs have gone.
20:31They've gone off to...
20:33We found a really nice Dutch couple
20:35with a small holding,
20:35so they've now gone there.
20:37And that's not the only change.
20:40They've also opened a boutique store
20:42selling products handcrafted
20:44by people from the local area.
20:47We opened this last summer,
20:51beginning of last summer.
20:53My plan with the shop
20:54was that this was basically
20:56going to pay for the animals,
20:57which it's doing.
20:59Their unique location
21:01has allowed them to provide a service
21:03that was missing from their community.
21:05There's not many places around here
21:07where you can get clothes.
21:09It's like the supermarket,
21:11basically, is pretty much it.
21:12So the one thing we found
21:13that's sold in here
21:14is women's clothing.
21:16It's gone really well.
21:17We've got a lady who makes jewellery.
21:20I've got a lady who makes, like,
21:22handmade soap.
21:22We've got an English artist,
21:24a French artist.
21:26And now, inspired by the success
21:29of their boutique,
21:30they're using one of their other outbuildings
21:32to create another business
21:34that is sorely lacking
21:36from their local area.
21:37Next thing is,
21:39what was our garage,
21:41but was before that
21:43an old stables,
21:45is now becoming a bar.
21:51Having spent a year
21:52converting the barn,
21:53they're desperate to open,
21:55but still have a long list
21:56of work to do.
21:59So, there's a small section of ceiling.
22:01I've got a backfill in there.
22:02We've got to take and join it.
22:03I've got to finish
22:06plastering up all the walls,
22:07install the bar area,
22:09put a toilet in,
22:10plumb it into the bus,
22:12and that's that.
22:14So, yeah, we're sort of shooting
22:16for as soon as possible
22:17to open up as a bar.
22:18Yeah.
22:21There is an added pressure
22:22to get this bar finished quickly,
22:24as Alex has a condition
22:26that could affect his ability
22:28to work at any time.
22:32I suffer with, like,
22:35chronic fatigue,
22:36but only because, um,
22:38in 2016,
22:40it was 2016,
22:41eight years ago now,
22:42I was diagnosed with MS.
22:43I still get episodes of that
22:47where it affects my mobility.
22:51Like, um,
22:52I ended up wearing wrist braces
22:53because the nerves in my wrists
22:56had gone haywire.
22:58It is a race against time,
23:01obviously,
23:01because, you know,
23:04we've got no idea
23:05if I'll get worse quickly.
23:07Yeah.
23:08So we are trying to push it ahead.
23:09We are trying to get on top of it.
23:11So whilst Alex's health is good,
23:14the couple keep going
23:15with their punishing schedule of work.
23:18Today,
23:18he has to finish installing the ceiling.
23:21All right.
23:22Let's see if it goes.
23:26It's taken a long time
23:27because of life, really.
23:31Life has sort of gotten in the way.
23:35But with the finish line now in sight,
23:38will this bar be ready
23:39for their all-important winter opening?
23:48Still to come,
23:49on the Costa Blanca,
23:51Mark and Natalia's cafe is supersizing.
23:54The more the team has expanded,
23:57I've been able to kind of let go.
23:58It was very, very hard,
23:59but I was able to let go
24:00of the leash a little bit more.
24:01And on the Costa del Sol,
24:03now that Morgan and Patrick
24:04are going it alone...
24:06You're not spreading any of the risk.
24:08You're not spreading any of the gambles.
24:10It's on our shoulders,
24:11anything that we do.
24:13Can they cope one man down?
24:15This is super near.
24:17This is at 45 minutes early.
24:18So it's a bit of a pain in the neck.
24:31On our Whirlwind Revisit tour,
24:34we're checking in with Mark and Natalia
24:36on the Costa Blanca,
24:37who've been on quite the business journey.
24:40Back in 2018,
24:42we bought our cafe.
24:43As a success of the cafe has grown,
24:45we've constantly been expanding
24:46and developing our style.
24:51This constant desire for progress
24:54reached its peak this year,
24:56when the locale next door became available
24:58and the couple decided to go for it,
25:01extending the cafe over two units
25:03and moving the shop next door.
25:06Normally, during the wintertime,
25:07we always like to have little projects
25:08and we normally shut down for a month
25:11from January to February.
25:14And last year was one of the biggest ones that we had.
25:16We obviously created this larger space
25:19for the cafe and also the boutique next door.
25:22That was very quick renovation,
25:23very stressful at that time.
25:26Those which we can do with our hands, we did.
25:30But they weren't entirely on their own.
25:33I had a lot of help from family members.
25:34My brother's got a construction business.
25:36My father was here,
25:37kind of always on my shoulder,
25:39helped me out and directly where to go.
25:40And also we had Natty,
25:41who was in charge of all the aesthetics,
25:43and she just did such a fabulous job
25:44making the place look pristine
25:46and look very nice.
25:47Once the work was complete,
25:49it was like standing inside of an entirely new cafe.
25:53OK, so originally this was the old bar area
25:55where we just had the kitchen in behind.
25:57We really need to expand the kitchen
25:59so that we could supply more people and more customers.
26:02We added an extra bathroom
26:04because it was actually getting busier.
26:06We needed more bathroom space.
26:07And we moved the original bar
26:09over to the other side of the new locale.
26:11What we did was we managed to get the purchase agreement
26:13on the newly next door.
26:15We moved the shop into next door.
26:16And we did it as a staggered process,
26:19operating on the construction of the shop originally,
26:22and then into this area.
26:23And then as we closed for a month in January,
26:26we converted the wall down
26:28and we expanded with our silver strength.
26:31The shop next door was Natalia's blank canvas
26:34to design the perfect retail space.
26:37Here we've got much more space.
26:38We've got much more light.
26:39As we open all fronts,
26:42we put massive windows in.
26:44We managed to get the very pretty changing rooms
26:49with the proper lighting.
26:51You can see all the outfits much better.
26:55With a whole new terrace made too,
26:58this has been a huge investment for the couple.
27:01So we finished the renovations there
27:04at the end of February.
27:06And since we've had all three units,
27:09it's been going amazingly well.
27:10There's a lot more space for people to come and dine
27:12and enjoy the area.
27:15Greater space and more customers
27:17means a greater need for staff.
27:19And they've now reached a headcount of 25
27:22at the peak of summer.
27:24The more the team has expanded,
27:26I've been able to kind of let go.
27:27It was very, very hard,
27:28but I was able to let go of the leash a little bit more.
27:30So the work-life balance actually got a lot better.
27:32I believe that, like, we're a lot less stressful,
27:35a lot less stressed.
27:36With the staff taking the strain
27:38and no more big renovations planned,
27:41Mark, Natalia and their family
27:42may finally realise a long-held dream.
27:46Hopefully we can have us some holidays this year as well,
27:49which will be really exciting
27:50because I think we haven't had, like,
27:53we've been once for a few days in Mallorca.
27:57This year we're planning a trip away for a month
27:58in Southeast Asia with the two boys,
28:02so I think that's going to be really awesome.
28:05After a rollercoaster ride,
28:07they've successfully established themselves in Spain.
28:10And for Mark and Natalia,
28:12things could not be going much better.
28:15Life is less stressful for us at this point
28:19because we have people who we can trust.
28:23We have a business which is going OK.
28:27It's just lovely because we have more time with the boys.
28:30With the business secure,
28:32they can look forward to a bright future.
28:36So our hopes for life would, you know,
28:38be to just trying to enjoy those little moments
28:42which sometimes we do take for granted,
28:43especially during those summer months
28:45when we're super busy,
28:46but to enjoy those little moments a bit more, I think.
28:48Yes.
28:49But everybody are healthy, everybody are happy,
28:51so we are surrounded by amazing people,
28:54amazing friends.
28:55It's just amazing, really.
29:06A little under 300 miles away on the Costa del Sol,
29:10it's August,
29:11and at their cocktail bar,
29:13Morgan and Patrick are in early
29:15preparing for something special.
29:17We have a party for 18 people
29:22that come around for somebody's birthday.
29:24They're going to be drinking Prosecco.
29:26It's becoming kind of more and more of a thing,
29:28which is kind of really nice.
29:30The special events and cocktail classes in particular
29:33were the brainchild of Patrick.
29:36You thought it would be a good idea
29:37if we were to run these, obviously,
29:38classes doing the cocktails,
29:40and to be slightly different
29:41where everybody in the cocktail class
29:43would have their own cocktail station,
29:44so they all make them at the same time.
29:46My sister was at cocktail class a few years ago
29:48and she liked it,
29:49and it was always on my mind,
29:50and then we were on a cruise.
29:52We'd done a cocktail class on a cruise
29:53and it was, like, done to a really high level,
29:55and I thought,
29:56we have to do this in Havana.
29:59Morgan has been blown away by their success.
30:02And as it transpires,
30:04it's been a bit of a game-changer, I suppose,
30:06in some respects,
30:07because we're doing so many classes now.
30:09We've had nights where we had two classes
30:11in the same night.
30:12With the good vibes created by the classes
30:14spreading throughout the local community and beyond,
30:18their bar has become the destination
30:20for celebration in Torremolinos.
30:23We've had weddings,
30:25we've had 50s, 70s, 40s,
30:27we've had hand parties,
30:28we've had cocktail classes,
30:29so it's really nice.
30:30As the staff prepare the bar,
30:33Morgan gets the bunting out,
30:34because their brand is based on going the extra mile.
30:38It's a big thing.
30:39I mean, a lot of these people have travelled from abroad,
30:42they're having their party away from home,
30:43they probably wouldn't normally have it in
30:44their favourite bar at all at home,
30:46so if they've made a choice to come here and have it,
30:49well, you want to make sure it's a bit of a special life for them,
30:50and, you know,
30:52it's important.
30:55As the guests begin to trickle in
30:57and the cocktails start to flow,
30:59it's clear that the dynamic duo of drinks
31:02have come to terms with Pete's departure.
31:04Yeah, when Peter said about the choice that he'd made,
31:09it was very, very difficult,
31:10I'm very upset and nervous as well,
31:13so there is a kind of, like,
31:15part of it you feel a bit emotional and a bit sad,
31:18and then also then in reality,
31:20as you have to continue with the business as well.
31:23And now a tremendous opportunity for the couple
31:26to put their own stamp on the bar awaits them.
31:29To a degree, I suppose,
31:31it also gives a degree more of excitement as well
31:34to Patrick and I,
31:34because you're not spreading any of the risk,
31:37you're not spreading any of the gambles.
31:39It's on our shoulders, anything that we do.
31:42And they're already making big expansion plans.
31:46Cut-out classes are just coming in really thick and fast,
31:50so we're probably going to be doing two, three a week.
31:53We're also looking, as we go into September, October,
31:56is working with another caterer
31:58to do the bottomless brunch on a Sunday.
32:02And then, obviously, as we're saying, as we go forward,
32:04we're looking at our own kitchen.
32:07God, there's so much ahead, and it's just so exciting.
32:12But however big they get,
32:14Morgan is aware that, just like a good cocktail,
32:17a successful business has to have
32:19just the right blend of ingredients.
32:22So much is growing so fast.
32:24You've got to be careful
32:25that you don't try and do everything at once.
32:27As I said, with a standard of what you do currently,
32:31you cannot let that drop.
32:33And that is probably my fear
32:34when you try and do too many new things.
32:36That is my fear, but it will not happen.
32:39And these standards are on full display
32:41as the birthday boy has had a lovely time.
32:45It's class.
32:46First class place.
32:47Staff are superb.
32:49Management's superb.
32:51The place has run
32:53like a really, really good cocktail bar.
33:00It's now September,
33:02and though the holiday season
33:04is meant to be winding down,
33:06with all the cocktail parties coming in,
33:08the boys are hitting a peak.
33:10This week, by example,
33:12we have three cocktail classes.
33:13It's great fun.
33:14It's a lot of crack.
33:16But one of the downsides
33:17of their cocktail class success
33:19is that when the going gets tough,
33:21you're always on call.
33:23Today's my day off,
33:24so I've just come in
33:25to buy support
33:26for the cocktail class
33:27because there's 13 people in the class
33:30and also it's a busy week.
33:31So I'm going to work tonight
33:33from 7.30 to 9.30,
33:35and then once the cocktail class is finished,
33:38off to go home.
33:39On an already busy day,
33:41the last thing they need
33:42while setting up for the class
33:44is some extra enthusiastic
33:45and extra early customers.
33:48This is like super day.
33:49This is 45 minutes early,
33:51so it's a bit of a pain
33:52to get all the things done as well.
33:54As long as you don't have
33:55a lot of cocktails this time,
33:56we won't be able to do that.
33:58Will Morgan and Patrick
34:00be able to keep
34:01their keen customers happy
34:02and set the cocktail class up in time?
34:09Coming up,
34:10it's the final push
34:12from Millie and Alex.
34:13It's been an exhausting
34:15sort of 7 to 10 days.
34:17Now we're knackered
34:19and we're having a party.
34:20Yeah.
34:21And I want to go to bed.
34:23And in Torremolinos...
34:25Check's on the beat.
34:26Thank you very much,
34:27maybe later.
34:30With Morgan as MC,
34:32will they give the hen
34:33a night to remember?
34:35Ladies,
34:37welcome
34:38to Steph's Celebration
34:39cocktail class of...
34:53We're back in the Chirante
34:55and at Millie and Alex's Manor House,
34:57it's a very special day.
34:59Today's really just your birthday.
35:01Yeah.
35:02So we're having some friends over
35:03for a bit of a party.
35:05And where better to host this party
35:07than in their new bar,
35:09where a dramatic transformation
35:11has seen it converted
35:12from an old stables.
35:15The idea was
35:17have a sort of birthday party in there
35:19because it gave us a deadline
35:21to get the bulk of it finished.
35:23Nothing like a good deadline,
35:24is there?
35:26It's obviously nowhere near
35:27being ready at this bar.
35:28There's a lot to do,
35:30sort of,
35:30as far as
35:31some of the furnishings.
35:33Yeah.
35:34Building the actual bar itself.
35:36It's been an exhausting
35:38sort of
35:38seven to ten days.
35:40Now we're knackered
35:41and we're having a party.
35:43Yeah.
35:43And I want to go to bed.
35:45I really wanted a nap this afternoon.
35:47Yeah.
35:48But somehow the couple
35:50find their second wind.
35:53Where shall I put it?
35:55Shall I put it?
35:55It's in there.
35:55Yeah.
36:01A lot is riding on this bar
36:04and they have invested accordingly.
36:08To be honest, so far
36:09we've probably put about
36:1140 grand into this building.
36:14Yeah.
36:14Because it's not just this room.
36:17We have...
36:18So, originally,
36:19this was going to be
36:20a second Gite.
36:21And it may still be
36:23a second Gite.
36:24So, if the bar doesn't work,
36:26it's basically ready
36:28to be turned straight
36:29into Gite number two.
36:31The challenge now
36:33is to entice enough customers
36:34to the bar.
36:36Obviously,
36:37we have got to let people
36:39know it's here
36:40and make sure that
36:41we're not aiming it
36:43purely at the English.
36:46You know,
36:46we live in France.
36:47There's way more French
36:48than us here.
36:50But for tonight,
36:51with their carefully
36:52selected audience,
36:54it's more about
36:54making a good
36:55first impression.
36:58I hope we get a gasp
37:00from at least one person.
37:01That would make me happy.
37:03HE LAUGHS
37:05And now it's
37:06the moment of truth.
37:08The floor's not done yet.
37:21And as their friends
37:22arrive and get
37:23individual tours
37:24of the new watering hole...
37:26What we've done
37:27is,
37:28we haven't done the bar yet,
37:30that's still going to...
37:31So, Alex is going to
37:32hide the back
37:33and it'll go up higher.
37:35Wow.
37:36That'd be really nice.
37:39Everyone can enjoy
37:41the fruits of
37:41Alex and Millie's labour.
37:43I think it's lovely
37:45and it's
37:47really grand
37:48as you walk in
37:50and it's great.
37:52I think it's amazing.
37:53People are enjoying themselves,
37:54they're having fun.
37:56Yeah.
37:56The atmosphere's okay.
37:58There could be more people,
37:59but...
37:59I don't have enough friends.
38:00You don't have enough
38:01friends for that.
38:02Although if it's my birthday,
38:04it'd be like you and me
38:05and the kids
38:06and a dog.
38:09The plan to appeal
38:10to both the English
38:11and French residents
38:12is going very well.
38:15So, my first impression
38:17of the barn,
38:17it's a real
38:18fantastic room
38:20and I'm sure
38:22that we'll have
38:23some fun here.
38:25As they party
38:26into the night,
38:27the success is just
38:28what Millie and Alex needed.
38:31People have come in
38:32and said they like it
38:34and think we should
38:35crack on with what
38:36we were planning on doing.
38:37We're certainly trudging
38:40down the right road.
38:41Yeah.
38:42To trudge.
38:43In the right direction.
38:49Though it's taken them
38:50three years,
38:51Alex and Millie
38:52are finally on track
38:54to where they want to be.
38:55The whole plan is,
38:56especially with Alex's health,
38:58is...
39:00It has to self-sustain
39:01at some point.
39:02Yeah, so he's at a point now
39:04where he can
39:04get it finished
39:07and then
39:07I can then run it
39:09going forwards.
39:11But it's, you know,
39:12it needs to
39:15earn its keep.
39:16Yeah, it does.
39:17And with a jeet open,
39:19an almost complete bar,
39:21plans to host weddings
39:22and convert a cottage
39:24in the offing,
39:25the Manor House
39:26in Chironte
39:27will keep providing
39:28for this family
39:29for years to come.
39:30I feel way more
39:32energised this year
39:33than I have done
39:34in previous years.
39:35And I think,
39:36the thing is,
39:37it's not just us,
39:38we've got the kids.
39:39They're hugely settled here.
39:41Yeah.
39:41We're now very settled here.
39:43But, you know,
39:44it is exciting
39:45that we're creating
39:46a fantastic place to be,
39:48which is also for them
39:49and my other kids.
39:50It's going to be
39:52a really flourishing business
39:53that provides them
39:54with a future
39:55if they want it.
39:56Yeah.
40:05Finally on our revisit trip,
40:07it's back to Torremolinos.
40:09Morgan and Patrick
40:10are now flying solo.
40:12It's September
40:13and they have
40:14a big cocktail class booked.
40:16But first,
40:17they have to cater
40:17for some customers
40:19who have arrived
40:1945 minutes
40:20before they open.
40:22Do you want to see
40:23Molinos last night?
40:24Yeah.
40:25But thankfully,
40:26they don't want cocktails.
40:29It's only beer
40:30and wine and water
40:31so we can cope
40:32with that one
40:32so it's not too bad.
40:35With Patrick
40:36looking after the terrace,
40:38Morgan is in charge
40:39of getting the bar
40:40ready for the cocktail class.
40:43Almost showtime
40:44at about 30 minutes.
40:46So normally what we do
40:47is we start them off
40:47on the terrace
40:48with a glass of cava
40:49to get them into the mood
40:50and into the style.
40:53Then we bring them in,
40:55fit them at the bar
40:55as you can see
40:56the cocktail stations
40:57are set up
40:58and so they always
40:58have a little peek in
40:59and always kind of
41:00get them quite excited
41:01and it builds up
41:02with just a bit
41:02of a momentum
41:03for the rest of the evening.
41:06With introductions made...
41:08Ladies,
41:08we'll be starting
41:09in about five minutes.
41:10OK.
41:12Morgan is ready.
41:14Yes,
41:15it's all full swing now.
41:16Let the games begin
41:17as they say.
41:18Let the games begin.
41:20Ladies and ladies,
41:22it's time
41:22for your Havana cocktail class.
41:28Ladies and welcome
41:30to Skeps' Celebration
41:32Cocktails at the World!
41:38So ladies,
41:39tonight we're making
41:40three cocktails.
41:41Three cocktails.
41:42Our very first cocktail
41:44is a strobe-kaprotska.
41:45This is a vodka-based cocktail.
41:47The second cocktail
41:48you're going to make
41:49is a daiquiri de mango.
41:53Oh!
41:55And the crowd went wild again.
41:57And the third cocktail
41:58we're going to make
41:59is reportedly
42:00from the guild
42:02of mixologists worldwide
42:03to be the world's
42:05currently most popular cocktail.
42:08Do we have any guesses?
42:09Yes, on the beach.
42:10Thank you very much
42:10and maybe later.
42:13Lagorita.
42:15No.
42:16Pornstar Martini.
42:18Pornstar Martini.
42:20Correct.
42:20Currently believed
42:21to be
42:21the world's
42:22most popular cocktail.
42:24Introductions done,
42:25Morgan hands over
42:27to his co-host,
42:28mixologist Lexi.
42:30And all the way
42:30from Palma,
42:31the one,
42:32the only,
42:33Mr. Sexy Lexi!
42:38As Lexi takes over
42:40the class,
42:40the girls are introduced
42:42to all the tricks
42:42of the mixologist trade.
42:45OK.
42:47Front,
42:47back.
42:48Front,
42:49back.
42:50Front,
42:51back.
42:52One,
42:52two,
42:53three.
42:57Morgan and the team
42:59are providing
43:00just the tonic
43:01for this hindu.
43:03Slowly in the glass.
43:05Into your drinking glass.
43:07Lovely.
43:09Excellent.
43:10Well done.
43:10So when I count it three,
43:12if you like your cocktail,
43:13it's hooray Havana.
43:15All right,
43:16are we ready?
43:17One,
43:18two,
43:19three.
43:20Hooray!
43:23Hooray!
43:24This is the dream.
43:25A little bit,
43:25you had to see it
43:26kind of busy on both sides.
43:27So it's fantastic.
43:28Really,
43:29we're very pleased.
43:34The porn star was my favourite today
43:35and yeah,
43:36I really enjoyed it.
43:37It's a great activity.
43:39Fantastic for a head night.
43:40Really good fun.
43:43The boys have certainly
43:44come a long way
43:45since their bar
43:46was just empty units.
43:48Yeah,
43:49two years ago,
43:49I wouldn't have imagined
43:50we'd be able to do that,
43:50but we did,
43:51but it's good.
43:52And though they've gone
43:53from a three to a two,
43:55the continued success
43:56of nights like tonight
43:58show them
43:59that the future is bright.
44:00But it is the dynamic duo now,
44:02so it's very exciting.
44:04I'm looking forward to it.
44:06And as I say,
44:07we have plans
44:08and it is an exciting time.
44:10No point in saying otherwise.
44:14Next time.
44:16There we go.
44:17Here's some lovely canopies for you.
44:19A couple running a B&B
44:21and tea room in Spain
44:22have ambitious expansion plans.
44:24This really was the herringbone.
44:27You know,
44:28it was letting us down.
44:29And on the Costa Brava,
44:31we revisit a couple
44:32whose creative business success
44:34left them burnt out.
44:35I didn't have a day off,
44:37so much so
44:38that I actually got ill
44:40last year.
44:42And in France,
44:43after a slow start,
44:44can a pair of G-toners
44:46turn it around
44:47to keep their dream alive?
44:48You don't have
44:49the monthly salary
44:50or the fees coming in
44:51that I used to have.
44:53The Smithy Hour
44:54is a film in the movie
44:54and I'll see you again soon.
44:54I hope you liked it.
44:55I'm going to see you then.
44:55Bye bye!
45:02Bye bye!
45:03Bye bye!
45:04Bye bye!
45:06Bye bye!
45:07Bye bye!
45:08Bye bye!
45:09Bye bye!
45:10Bye bye!
45:12Bye bye!
45:18Bye bye!
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