Keeping up appearances
Maintaining a pub garden can be costly, but the returnsmake up for it, says TONY HALSTEAD
Licensees David and Gillian Heyes spend close to £8,000 on new pub beer garden equipment each year.
Ongoing weekly maintenance costs a further £25 during the summer but the couple believe the money is well spent as the gardens of the Garsdale Country Inn at Brandlesholme near Bury, Greater Manchester, are a magnet for customers when the sun shines. David says the outlay more than justifies the handsome returns his garden brings if the summer is blessed with good weather.
Even on "marginal" spring and autumn days the garden can do good business thanks to patio heaters and the launch last year of a new cabin bar for customers.
The cabin has proved a major revenue earner for the couple, who benefit from a direct drinks service to the garden. Meals are also served direct to garden customers from the cabin, which is linked to the pub's kitchens.
The introduction last year of a marquee to service small functions provided the final piece in the Heyes' outdoor garden jigsaw.
"We have 35 tables in the rear garden each seating eight people which gives us an extra 280 seats," says David. "We simply could not house those numbers in the main body of the pub, which tends to be well populated anyway.
"It's proved a major business benefit for us and is worth its weight in gold."
During one freakishly-warm Sunday in early April the Garsdale served a total of 300 meals 90 of them to customers seated in the garden. "These were 90 meals we would not have served without the garden, because the lounge bar and restaurant were also very busy," David explains.
"We can expect a 50% to 60% boost in trade from garden business when the sun shines, so we know we have to work hard at maintaining the garden and its equipment. It's hard work, and mowing the lawn each week sets us back about £25, but it is well worth the effort.
"This year we are getting new parasols and adding to our stock of four patio heaters, thanks to one of our suppliers, Grolsch.
"If you consider that one heater costs in the region of £250, plus £18 for a bottle of gas which can be used up during one session it does not work out cheaply. But the returns from a properly-equipped and maintained garden can be tremendous and we would be lost without it."
David stresses that the golden rule is not to let equipment get too old. "A regular renewals strategy is essential," he says. "A good garden bench table costs about £150, so it's equally important to keep them maintained and under cover in winter."
