A customer decides in seconds. Can I stop here? Where do I put the bike? Can I even turn in? If the answer is no, they keep going, to the next place where stopping is easy. You never meet these customers. You do not even know they almost came.
Rohit found a space for his family restaurant on a wide main road. Big front, fair rent, lots of traffic. He signed.
His weekends were slow. One Saturday night he stood outside and watched. There was a divider, and the nearest turn was far away. The few parking spots in front were full of cars from the gym next door. Families slowed down, looked, and drove on to the restaurant past the signal, which had its own parking.
The space looked perfect on the weekday morning he first saw it.
Go at the hours you will be busy
Visit three times: a weekday lunch, a weekday evening and a weekend evening. Go when you expect to be busy, not when it suits the broker. A road that is quiet at 11 in the morning can be jammed at 8 at night. While you are there, count the footfall too.
Simple checks before you sign
1. Count the parking. At your busy hour, how many two wheelers and cars can stop within a short walk? Who takes those spots now? Look for "No Parking" boards. Ask nearby shops if the tow van comes.
2. Ask which parking is yours. Some spaces come with parking, some share it, some have none. Ask what is in writing. A spot that "everyone uses" can be taken away.
3. Walk the pavement. Walk from the nearest bus stop, metro or auto stand to the door. Is the pavement wide, flat and clear, or broken and full of stalls? Go once after rain. People do not walk through mud for coffee.
4. Check the turn in from the main road. Drive to the space from both directions. Is there a divider? How far is the nearest U turn? Is the road one way? Is it on a service lane or under a flyover, where people miss it? If cars from one side cannot reach you easily, count only half the traffic. Then do the eight checks at the shop door.
5. Watch for delivery bikes. If you take online orders, riders come many times a day. Is there room for three or four bikes without blocking your door or your neighbour? Ask a rider waiting nearby how easy pickups are on this road. They know.
6. Count the steps at the door. One step is easy. Three or more lose older people, parents with prams and anyone carrying food out. Is there room for a ramp? Are the steps slippery in rain? If the space is up a full flight of stairs, read ground floor or first floor.
Put it in the lease
Talk is not enough. Write these points in the lease:
- Parking that comes with the space. How many spots, and where.
- Permission for a ramp and a board.
- Road works. If the road in front is dug up for months, some owners agree to lower rent for that time. Ask.
A lawyer can help you with the exact words. Our lease checklist shows the other clauses to check.
Why this matters
A customer who cannot stop does not call to complain. They go to the next place, and soon it becomes their habit.
Parking and access tell you if people can stop. The address tells you if they will want to.
Check the address before you sign. Viabe Location Check reads one exact address: nearby competitors, how busy the street is and when, fair rent, the kind of customers nearby, risks and a clear answer. Check your location. Full report ₹2,999 + GST.