Advice on taking on a lease

I am looking to buy a lease with a friend. It is a pub that needs substantial renovation upstairs (needs the trade kitchen to be properly fitted/renewed/repaired), cosmetic makeover in the bar itself, new/better furniture, down to even the very heating upstairs.

Because quite a lot of work is needed, the lease itself is going for a good price, for a good length..

The area is perfect, and 'newer' pubs in the area are doing great by the looks of things, so this looks like an ideal turnaround project.

Could someone please help me on such aspects as:

- approaching the pub company to share the cost of renovation (how to split the cost)

- whether I should get a contractor in to estimate renovation cost on my own, or push for the pub company to take care of that department.

- timing the move, ie. a rough guess as to how long it would realistically take, for the fitting of the kitchen and the bar's interior itself (I am trying to make the move from my 9-5 to actually running this, and I wouldn't like to be stuck in limbo for months..)

- Proportion the banks/lenders would put up for a good business project.

- Any other advice that might be helpful.

I need a guide/mentor badly, but having looked around for quite a while now, this really does look like an excellent opportunity. The area is rife with the young professional/yuppie market.

Kindest regards,Don. don scannell