17.11.12
Hotel furniture, in many cases, has a reasonably well defined role - for most of the time that they are in their rooms, many guests will be in bed.
In contrast, while a chair is a reasonable expectation in each room, many guests do their socialising downstairs in the bar or lounge.
This could be set to change, making investment into hotel furniture that allows socialising in rooms a wise decision in preparation for new late-night licensing laws.
The British Hospitality Association explains that draft regulations for the incoming Early Morning Restriction Orders now state that, after midnight, hotels will only be allowed to serve alcohol to guests in their rooms.
Although this is intended to decrease antisocial behaviour, the BHA argues that it could actually be more disruptive to people in neighbouring rooms.
Moreover, BHA deputy chief executive Martin Couchman predicts "a farcical situation" of drinks being delivered to rooms, only for the guests to carry them back to the bar to drink.
There is still the possibility of the regulations being changed when they are redrafted in their final form.
However, any clampdown on serving alcohol in public areas of hotels could see more guests retiring to their rooms to socialise - making comfortable seating more of a necessity.