Sitting pretty
For many hosts, working out how to make the best use of space inside their pub is a daunting prospect. But it doesn't take much to get it right and optimise your custom
The kerbside appeal of an attractive or well-maintained exterior will get customers to cross the threshold, but the interior decor and furniture can make all the difference between them staying or going. One of the first things customers will look for is a place where they can sit and have their drinks. Studies have shown that whereas groups of males don't mind standing, groups of females usually prefer to sit. Couples also tend to want to sit.
It is important to strike the right balance between seating and standing areas and to choose furniture that best suits the available space. Differing trading patterns also have to be borne in mind: an outlet that is food-led at lunchtimes, but wet-led in the evenings, has to have furniture that can cope with both sets of customers with little or no alteration.
Before parting with any cash, it is worth analysing a few issues. Consider the trading patterns throughout the day: is the new furniture better suited to drinking or dining, or will it work for both? What style best suits the customer base, for example, chic modern, cafe-bar or traditional sturdy wooden furniture?
Next, try to envisage where the seating and tables will be positioned. This can be done by placing newspapers on the floor to replicate the footprint of the furniture. Move them around to arrive at a configuration that gives maximum density without bringing the tables too close together for comfort. Choose a size and style of tables to suit your custom. Circular tables make it easy for customers to add chairs for another one or two people but don't offer as much flexibility as square and rectangular tables when two or more are placed together.
Square tables offer flexibility
Small square tables are highly adaptable; individually, they can be used by a couple or grouped together to cater for larger parties. The same applies to rectangular tables, with four-seaters offering greater flexibility than six-seaters.
It is also worth considering what impact bench seating, whether running along a wall or arranged to form alcoves, can have on capacity. They are an economical way of providing additional seating, but can be inappropriate if there is a focal point within a room, such as a stage or TV screen, and customers can't see it. In addition, people may not wish to sit hemmed in by strangers and access can be difficult. A line of pews can be a more effective solution than a continuous bench, because each pew defines a seating area.
Casual seating is becoming increasingly popular. Operators such as Mitchells & Butlers, with its Ember Inns branded outlets, have appealed to customers by offering comfortable sofas and low tables. As well as being popular during lunchtime and evening trading sessions, they can help to pull in customers for morning coffee or afternoon tea because they look more inviting than normal seating arrangements.
A common failing in many wet-led pubs is a lack of suitable space to rest glasses. Fitting shelves to columns and walls is an easy solution, as is investing in poseur tables. These hatstand-like tables have one or two levels for resting glasses. Ideally, poseur tables should be located where they'll encourage drinkers away from the bar and reduce congestion. It is also worth paying the extra for rails or edge restraints to prevent drinks being knocked off accidentally. And unless they are anchored to the ground, poseurs should be heavy enough to prevent them wobbling or falling over if someone stumbles into them.
Before making a final decision, browse catalogues and websites of specialist furniture suppliers and avoid domestic furniture, which probably won't last as long.
There are countless firms offering hundreds of designs, as well as suppliers of second-hand furniture, so hosts are truly spoilt for choice.
Case study: the Ivy House, Chalfont St Giles
Anthony Mears, owner of the Ivy House in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire, says licensees should choose furniture that will enhance the impression they want to make on customers. When refurbishing the food-led freehouse a couple of years ago, Mears recalls: 'We wanted to create an air of informality and give people a decent amount of space so they weren't cheek-by-jowl where others could hear everything they said. There needs to be a system where you can move tables around to cater for differing sizes of parties. Most of our tables break down into twos and give us the flexibility to rearrange them for large events like weddings and even to create a top table, if needed.
Similar care was taken when converting a former stables next to the pub into additional dining space. High screens were placed between the rows of tables. 'They helped to recreate the stables atmosphere while giving diners a feeling of privacy, says Mears. Wing chairs are also used to create smaller relaxation zones but, Mears adds: 'We didn't want to tip the balance by having too many.
The resulting mix of shapes, styles and sizes of furniture at the Ivy House is not only stylish, but allows customers to select a seating area that suits their mood, whether it is drinking, socialising, relaxing or dining. For anyone considering buying furniture, Mears advises: 'You can't afford to cut corners. The furniture has to be decent and up to the job. It has to be strong enough for large people and those who lean back on their chairs.
