Summer gardens: bad weather

Competition is in tents: It's British summertime - so it means keeping your customers warm and dry!

For many of us, the mention of tents conjures up a night of hell on hard, lumpy ground, lying wide awake in fear of a spider crawling up your nose - or worse. But licensees are discovering that putting their customers under canvas is a great way to expand their business.

A lot of rural pubs are surrounded by open space they don't properly use and, if you've got a basically successful operation, that space could mean invaluable additional income.

In the uncertain British climate, a tent, canopy or marquee could be the answer. It could provide an extra dining area or create an arena for special events. It might transform your pub into a wedding venue or the home of a regular beer festival.

You have to speculate to accumulate, of course. But one company is keen to point out that it need not cost as much as you think.

Owen Brown, based at Castle Donington in Derbyshire, is the UK agent for Italian manufacturer Giulio Barbieri and one of the country's largest suppliers. As such it is now able to hire out tents for just when you need them.

"A tent can seem like a big outlay for an independent licensee and there is always the worry of whether it is going to work," said chief executive Bill Preston. "By hiring them out we take away the hidden costs and the idea becomes more flexible and manageable."

Owen Brown is already supplying several pubs around the East Midlands on medium-term contracts. Tents are taken down at the end of the summer and stored and cleaned during the winter for use the following year.

Or you can hire a tent for shorter periods, just putting it up for weddings and other events. It's worth bearing in mind that, if a tent is up for more than 28 days, it may require planning permission from your local authority.

Every council, predictably, takes a different attitude. Check first. But at least there's the option of hiring for a few weeks at a time to avoid any complications.

The company also has an ingenious deal with Everards in which a city pub uses a tent for office parties and rugby events during the winter and then the same tent is transported to a village pub for the summer, making sure it is paying its way for the Leicester brewer all year round.

Bill points out that a tent or canopy doesn't just provide cover. "It can make a space look more interesting and add to the overall attractiveness of the pub," he said. "If people are driving through they will tend to stop at the pretty looking pub."

Good traditional umbrellas can produce a similar effect, of course. But they don't have sides that can protect you from the elements.

Even small pubs can benefit. Customers at the Woodman's Stroke in the village of Rothley, Leicestershire, for instance, can walk straight out of the bar and under the cover of two small, square tents which between them can accommodate an extra 40 people.

"We got them about three years ago to cope with busy periods, such as Christmas, when we need the maximum amount of space," said freetrader Simon Warner, who runs the pub with his father Peter. "It's an additional room for us, really.

"People are more likely to bring their children to the pub. There is a less smoky atmosphere out there.

"At first we rented the tents, then we bought them second-hand and they paid for themselves in the first summer. We take the sides off in the spring, and we'll take them down altogether in July."

For the first winter, the Warners installed Calor heaters and have now had them plumbed into the mains.

"The ground was cold the first year and we had to put pallets down because people complained," continued Simon. "Now we've laid some carpet."

Heat is on at Wetherspoon​

Spring - and a publican's thoughts lightly turn to patio heaters. Yes, only in Britain can the imminent summer start you worrying about how you're going to make the garden warm enough for people to sit in.

The point is that if you've got a garden it's valuable trading space and you want to make sure you get use of it for as long as possible into the evening.

Patio heaters can make a considerable difference as the Moon Under Water in Watford, Hertfordshire, is already discovering. Part of the JD Wetherspoon chain, the pub has taken advantage of a supply deal with Calor Gas and has installed three mobile heaters.

The Moon Under Water is extremely big and busy and on a typical Friday or Saturday night will see up to 500 people come through its doors. Barperson Laura Argent believes the heaters make a real difference to the pub.

"Once a few people realise that the heaters are on it starts a trend and the garden suddenly becomes very popular," she said. "It has also meant that staff can sit outside on our breaks, which is much more relaxing than having to stay inside the pub."

Calor initially met with Wetherspoon last summer. The deal was signed immediately and within a week there were patio heaters up and running at pubs across the country.

"Along with the comfort of its customers, safety was a prime consideration for Wetherspoon," said Andy Mainwaring of Calor Gas. "Patio gas cylinders simply clip into the heaters and compared to other gas cylinders where spanners and leak detection kits are necessary, it is very simple for staff to use. There is no need for any formal training."

There are currently 48 Wetherspoon pubs set up with the Calor heaters and any new pubs with gardens will also be included.

"The deal with Calor was perfect for what we want to achieve," said a Wetherspoon spokesman. "Beer gardens bring an added dimension to many of our pubs and it is important that we extend the life cycle of these areas. Patio heaters bring both commercial and customer satisfaction benefits to our pubs and they are definitely here to stay."