THE GUV'NOR
Ali Carter
Outdoor space can add value to a premises, so it makes you question why
we didn't do it sooner, says the former BII Licensee of
the Year
I wonder why it is that sometimes it takes a crisis to make us appreciate what we already have? The impending smoke ban has led so many pubs to cherish even the smallest, previously unnoticed area of outdoor space and bestow on it a value similar to a Sandbanks beach hut!
On the Continent we are used to seeing every square inch of outdoor space used for al fresco eating and drinking. No doubt the more predictable climate and less red tape makes it easier for our European counterparts to make the most of the outside.
This summer however, will see many pubs in Britain tackling the great outdoors for the very first time.
This focus on outside space, prompted by the ban, has meant that a great deal of thought has gone into the comfort of our customers with external heat, light and shelter all now readily available for various budgets, so we are less than ever at the mercy of the weather.
A great way to generate extra sales from an outside area is to offer table service, even if you don't do food. Human nature makes us, on the whole, lazy creatures prone to nurturing an empty glass rather than making
the (seemingly arduous) journey back into the bar for a refill, particularly if the
bar is busy.
If you offer table service you will not only boost your sales but gain a reputation for great customer care and have a way of monitoring what's going on outside.
If it's possible, why not consider making some of your outdoor space no smoking? I know it may sound a bit bonkers as the whole point is to let people have a puff at the pub, but if you have a fairly restricted area non-smokers will be put off by smoke, but may still like to enjoy the outdoor experience.
Extra footfall outside means that care needs to be taken to keep it in good condition. Cleaning outside is a bit alien to the Brits - after all, that's what the rain is for - but if the pub interior gets cleaned daily, so should the outside. Pavements in particular benefit from a daily hose down and scrub with a deck brush. If the exterior reflects the interior it shows the customer before they walk through the door.
