Coates left school at age fourteen to work in an office to help his family make ends meet. This lasted until he was old enough to join the Parachute Regiment for his National Service. After leaving the army he took a job with the Wimpy restaurant chain, eventually rising to the position of regional manager. Using his restaurant background as a springboard, Coates founded Stadia Catering. Their specialty was catering events at football grounds, and they would eventually merge with competitor Lindley Catering. He used the increase in revenue to purchase a chain of betting shops that he dubbed Provincial Racing. He also founded the local radio station Signal 1 in 1983.
