How much would it cost to open your own Beach in North Cyprus?

Gul2010



Joined: 31/03/2010
Posts: 36

Message Posted:
16/07/2010 22:13

Hi,



Does anyone know how much would it cost to open your own beach in North Cyprus?



Thanks

walkerscott


Joined: 13/08/2009
Posts: 901

Message Posted:
16/07/2010 22:19

Yes, but it all depends on what sort of sand you want to import!



The second thing is no beach is allowed to be totally private by Cypriot Law.



Location, Location, location! You might be able to get a lease for some beach area in the Panhandle!

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
16/07/2010 22:33

Gulden,

As all land is the property of someone or other, you would first need to find a particular beach, and negotiate with the owner regarding purchase or rent, as well as securing the necessary permissions for any building works that you might propose.

Be aware, that in the case of renting, or leasing, the usual Cypriot ploy is to double or triple your rent as soon as you look like making a success of the business! - and don't go thinking that you'd have a watertight contract - no such thing exists here!

Having spent your money, on developing this beach that you have either bought or leased - whatever - you are faced with the problem that the general public are allowed - BY LAW - unrestricted free access to the beach, so you have to provide facilities that are attractive enough that a fair proportion of visitors would be willing to pay for them - you cannot demand payment simply for access to the beach/sea... - despite the fact that other people try to do just that!

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
16/07/2010 22:55

Oh!,

And I almost forgot - If you are only renting or leasing the beach, anything that you build on it belongs to the landowner!

catalkoykid


Joined: 15/02/2009
Posts: 1190

Message Posted:
16/07/2010 23:03

how come escape charge if no beach is allowed to be totally private by Cypriot Law.

iceman


Joined: 15/08/2008
Posts: 724

Message Posted:
16/07/2010 23:20

because one of the partners there happen to be married to the daughter of the minister of internal affairs ;)



That beach was free to public since 1974 (and long before that) till they came along and invested.

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
16/07/2010 23:52

Far too much competition and not enough holiday makers to make a success.

Bradus


Joined: 25/02/2007
Posts: 2641

Message Posted:
16/07/2010 23:54

On second thoughts, there might be lots of donkeys to harness for donkey rides, in the Karpas.

zerochlor


Joined: 03/04/2009
Posts: 4024

Message Posted:
16/07/2010 23:59

im sure your beach could be a busy beach if you was on it each day



even maybe selling your S S S to keep the mossies at bay!



ding dong





avon calling

LondonCypriot


Joined: 15/12/2008
Posts: 426

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 00:39

Is the Escape beach free to enter ?

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 07:03

LondonCypriot,

I believe that it is, legally.

Unfortunately very few people have the motivation to stand up to the people that demand the money...

To be fair, most people who visit with a Family do want to use the facilities, sunbeds, toilets etc, and for them it is worth it.

However it doesn't change the fact that the law allows unfettered free access to all beaches - with the exception of ,I think, 2 Private ones, and those in Military zones, so if you are refused entry, call the police - that's what people did when the Mercure Hotel tried to charge for entry to Kervanseray beach, and the police told the hotel people in no uncertain terms to B***** Off!

Troodo


Joined: 12/06/2008
Posts: 1002

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 09:14

Recently the council of ministers added a possible 12-month prison sentence to anyone denying the people access to the beach. Shouldn’t think a ministers daughter has to worry but.

Jovial_John


Joined: 31/01/2009
Posts: 1024

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 09:40

You can legally charge for beach umbrellas, sunbeds, car parking etc. even for driving on the access road if they have privately surfaced it - but not to use the beach itself. Several private boat owners I know regularly park off Escape and tell the money collectors to "p*** off" with no further challenge.

Incidentally, one of the 2 private beaches is definitely Celebrity Hotel and I think the other is LA Hotel - the military beaches are a separate case.

Spearfish



Joined: 23/04/2010
Posts: 149

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 10:22

I think if someone is going to spend some time effort and money keeping a beach clean for people to use so that there is no broken glass etc on it then it is worth the few tl that they are charging?

regardless of if they have the right to charge or not.

even though in that case you are paying for someone else to be messy.

They should ban and enforse the ban of entry fee charging. and at the same time take on an officer who patrolls beaches and heavily fines anyone leaving rubbish etc behind.

the fines would cover his wages easily and after the news of a few people being fined getting out the problem would be over.

iceman


Joined: 15/08/2008
Posts: 724

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 11:54

few TL would have been no problem & it wouldn't brake the bank, but when they charge 15-20 TL pp, not everyone can afford it.

ALL these beaches used to be FREE of charge public beaches.

Corruption & incompetence of politicians ruined it for all.

Escape was called 5 Mile beach,Acapulco was 8 Mile beach & they were open to public, free of charge & people running the facilities could afford to keep them clean.

At 8 mile beach the only structure was a little restaurant at the top of the hill,nothing else in sight.

Then came along this guy who built a hotel next to the beach..he then went into politics,got elected MP from the leading party & was in office for 4 years..there was nothing stopping him after that.

Alagadi almost suffered the same fate,when during his heydays Asil Nadir wanted to stick a big hotel over the beach, but since the place was an internationally registered breeding ground for caretta caretta turtles,there was big protests from the public, so he was refused permis

cyprusman3



Joined: 09/06/2009
Posts: 297

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 12:13

Nice to have dreams we all dream of running a beach bar etc and the reality of it is its not as easy or as profitable as you think and the investment needed would be enough for you to retire on. best business is renting just collect your money every month all you need is 10 x 2 bed apartments @ 40k a pop, hassle free and time for your nails hee hee

the butler


Joined: 22/06/2007
Posts: 1958

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 16:20

Cyprusman3,



I wonder if you have ever rented property out? To dream it is hassle free dream on, it most certainly is not. I have rented properties out both in the UK and the TRNC and I sometimes wonder why I bother. Stick the money in the bank in the TRNC in a high interest account and sit back and enjoy it. You will make more money and it will certainly be a lot less hassle, no renters complaining, no redecorating every time a tenant leaves. I once had a tenant who rang me up at 10.30pm because a light bulb had popped. When I explained that he should be able to change it, he said he couldn't because he had a bad back and he couldn't see where his pain killers were. I drove 8 miles to change it for him.



The butlers wife

eager


Joined: 23/02/2007
Posts: 1272

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 23:31

Bury your head in the sand

billyboy1


Joined: 01/06/2009
Posts: 590

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 23:36

My understanding is that ALL beaches are owned by the goverment, whether there is a hotel or any othe business there, the beach itself is the property of the goverment.....

Stonehousepub


Joined: 21/05/2009
Posts: 755

Message Posted:
17/07/2010 23:52

Hi Gulden



feel free to email me at ozzyhasan@hotmail.com



For some off board advice, regards your enquiry

iceman


Joined: 15/08/2008
Posts: 724

Message Posted:
18/07/2010 08:17

Msg :19

According to the constitution, all beaches belong to "kamu" which is "public", unless they are restricted by the army for military reasons.

And also according to the same constitution this is defined by stating , no privately land could be owned,no privately owned building could be built closer than 100m to the shore line.



It just shows you, laws and rules are made to be bent by those who have the power in this country.

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
18/07/2010 08:48

iceman,

Do you think that the phrase " no privately owned building could be built closer than 100m to the shore line" is intended to differentiate between 'Private residences' e.g. Villas, and those buildings which are built as 'Tourist facilities' e.g. Hotels, Beach bars, Restaurants etc? - These facilities might still be 'Privately owned' but not be intended to be included within the definition...

I had heard that the Hacı Ali 'Hotel' in Lapta was built because he couldn't get planning permission for a 'Private residence' - the fact that it's called an hotel, and includes a Restaurant seems to be all that's needed

If he chooses to reserve the top 3 floors for himself, that's irrelevant!

I hasten to add - I have no idea whether he does that, or not, and I don't intend to imply any wrongdoing on the part of M Hacı Ali - I'm just being contentious

keithr


Joined: 20/08/2008
Posts: 720

Message Posted:
18/07/2010 13:41

Yeah right,a friend of mine rented to a local,no bills paid for 3 years,leccy at the the point of being cut off,stuff missing from the flat.



Never again she said.

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
18/07/2010 14:00

Good grief Keith , you must be absolutely knackered after all that furious back pedalling in your last line !

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
18/07/2010 14:02

Err...my post was to keith caley in msg 22 just to clarify !

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
18/07/2010 14:39

cronos,

cyprusman3



Joined: 09/06/2009
Posts: 297

Message Posted:
18/07/2010 18:43

Message re 17, yes i have rentals here and in UK the only problematic ones are the ones in UK the interest rate idea is OK and i have got a bit on interest but as you know the banks are not entirely safe even if the money is guaranteed by the banks it takes years before you get it back and when you do its in dribs and drabs , I have been there 3 times !!!! Renting is better than a business Ive had a few of them too here . mind you I don't change light bulbs as in the contracts I use all the maintenance and problems are down to the tenant. They sign it and have to abide by the terms and conditions.

ShaynaBeach


Joined: 04/12/2009
Posts: 274

Message Posted:
18/07/2010 20:32

Hı ınstead of tryıng to open your own beach why not come along to the newly refurbıshed Shayna Beach club and enjoy your day wıth us. You wont be dısappoınted.



Kınd regards



Amanda

Pippie


Joined: 02/12/2009
Posts: 1288

Message Posted:
18/07/2010 21:26

Hi Gulden, (sorry don't know your circumstances) do you have a Turkish Cypriot owned company here. Check the Articles of Association. Usually a company with foreign ownership is prohibited from any activities involved in tourism (eg, you can build a building such as a hotel but you cannot then run it for the purpose of tourism, you'd have to sell it or hand it over to the company that paid you to build it who would have a licence to run it). I'm not quite sure how it would apply to a beach but I'd suggest if you're serious about this (and it would be great if you were), you need to get a solicitor to check this out carefully for you. There's also something about having to have a company set up to own land with Turk Kocan, though that might only apply if you were planning to build on it. Sorry to make things complicated!

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
19/07/2010 07:40

Gulden/Msg 1:



If you have to rent any building in TRNC to try and make business, good luck to you, or anyone else. Only if you own a freehold premises have you any chance of succeeding.



Have you any idea, whatsoever, how much hassle and 'red tape' is involved in setting up and running a business? Remember, to ask someone 'in the know' how many TC's as a % of the total population are [allegedly!] lazy and grossly overpaid bureaucrats?



Many of them are extremely jealous of returning Cypriots and will go out of their way to deliberately make life as difficult and unpleasant as possible for you. Sadly, this a common trait both South and North. In the South, returning Cypriots are known as 'Charlies' - my goodness they get given a hard time, often worse than foreigners!



As you must be aware, nepotism is 'the name of the game' in Cyprus - so, if you are absolutely sure you have the 'right connections', please disregard the paragraph above.