The truth about running a bar for Brits abroad

The thought has occurred to many of us. But what’s it actually like to run a bar for Brits abroad?

A Mackem couple are flying the Sunderland flag in Andalusia with their latest business venture have lifted the lid on the vocation.

Graham Clark, 59, and his wife Linda, 60, now run Porky Pies in Benalmádena near Málaga, where they sell a variety of British baked delicacies, including Wearside favourite pink slices, which Graham has vowed to perfect.

They recently became television stars when Channel 5 featured them on Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun on February 20.

The couple moved to Spain 16 years ago and opened a garage. Since then they have owned a bar and are well known in their community for their love of the Black Cats.

Struggle of running a cafe

After running a garage in Benalmádena, the Clarks first opened a cafe with an adjoining bakery.

Graham said: “We originally had Porky Pig’s about 10 years ago. It was a cafe bar with a bakery next door.

“But it was tough running the cafe. The overheads were far too much.”

The turnover of customers needed to keep the cafe making profit was too high and with staffing costs were more for a cafe than they were to run a bar.

When Graham and Linda were offered the chance to buy a pub in the town in 2017 they jumped at the chance.

Clarky’s sports bar was born

The couple’s devotion to Sunderland led to them turning the bar into a Mackem themed sports bar called Clarky’s which quickly became legendary with travelling Black Cats’ fans.

In 2010 A decade ago Graham founded Málaga Mackems, a branch of the SAFC Supporters’ Club whose flag still hangs in the Stadium of Light’s North Stand.

He knew there were a lot of Mackem expats in the area and thought this could be the bar’s USP as competition is fierce in Spanish holiday resorts and Benalmádena has dozens of British-run business.

Graham said: “We came to the conclusion that we should make it a sports bar, with just us running it.

“We showed all the Sunderland games live in there. Friends of ours would all come round to see the matches. It was always busy.”

“We’ve got a few Mags about. We set up Malaga Mackems about ten years ago, so I’m well known as a Mackem round here. People are always asking if they can take photos of the Sunderland badges.”

Football banter

For some reason, not everyone supports Sunderland, but that wasn’t a huge problem for the Clarks business.

Graham said: “Some people would see the badge and not come in. But that’s their problem.”

Although some of the bars nearby show all the Newcastle games for NUFC fans, Graham and Linda said they never experienced trouble flaring between rival supporters on holiday.

He said: “There’s a bit of banter. There’s a place nearby that shows all the Newcastle games. I can see it from here, but there’s no trouble at all.

“It’s just a shame that we’re not in the same league at the moment!”

Long hours

Although it might be the dream vocation for a lot of people, Graham and Linda warn that running a business abroad involves a lot of hard work.

Long opening hours meant that the couple were often working morning until night, seven days a week.

Graham explained: “We had some brilliant times in that pub. But we got to an age when we didn’t want to stay up until two o’clock in the morning any more.

“My brother Anthony died in a work accident in August 2018, that was a big change and it changed our perspective.”

The couple sold the bar in April 2019 and enjoyed an eight month break.

Graham said: “The bar is now called Sangster’s, but the Sunderland memorabilia is still hanging in there. We asked the people who bought it to keep the Sunderland thing going and they have.”

The B word

Graham and Linda were running Clarky’s Bar when the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016.

Although there have been lots of rumours among expats and uncertainty over the future, Graham said the vote didn’t have an impact on his business and that Brexit won’t affect the couple’s plans for the future.

Graham continued: “So far Brexit hasn’t made any difference to us at all. We are Spanish residents.

“We have heard there might be something happening with driving licences, but it’s all rumours so far.

“Ideally we would like to retire in the five or six years we need to get a Spanish pension.

“We just want to enjoy ourselves. We’ll be staying here when we do.”

Porky Pies reborn

After a few months off Graham and Linda have decided to open a bakery, which gives them more flexibility with working hours than running the bar did and allows Graham to indulge his love of baking.

He said: “I’d kept all the pie equipment from the cafe, so Porky Pies opened again in November 2019. We’re open 10-5 Monday to Friday, 10-2 Saturday. We’ve got our life back.

“We miss the pub in some ways, in some ways not.”

The couple featured on the Channel Five TV show Bargain loving Brits in the sun and the publicity has given their new venture a boost.

Graham said: “We’ve probably just had our best week so far. It’s been unbelievable; all the people coming up to us saying ‘We’ve seen you on the telly.’

“It’s picked up, but at the same time we’ve always had people coming in. We’re very busy now, so God knows what it will be like in the summer holidays as we’re only getting the people who live here at the moment.

“Our best sellers are pork pies and sausage rolls. We can’t keep up with demand.”

Read more:

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