New pub furniture can help to make tired old premises look not only more modern and cared-for, but cleaner too, particularly if old upholstery has become faded, stained or torn.
That could prove crucial in passing the newly launched Quality Assessment Scheme for pubs, which was announced in December by VisitEngland and the British Beer and Pub Association.
In order to pass the accreditation scheme, pubs must meet certain criteria - including a mystery shopper assessment of their welcome, their quality of service, the food they serve and, importantly, their level of cleanliness.
This potentially puts older premises at a disadvantage as, while age alone is not necessarily a problem, it is likely to mean furnishings are less clean-looking and could benefit from being reupholstered or replaced.
James Berresford, chief executive of VisitEngland, said: "Pubs are an intrinsic part of our English heritage and a huge tourism asset for overseas visitors.
"With a focus on improving quality across the board this scheme aims to raise standards, ultimately making the pub visitor experience more enjoyable."
A simple way to give premises a fresh and clean look is to add some more vibrant upholstery, and banqueting furniture offers an alternative to traditional wooden pub furniture for this.
Banqueting furniture typically comes with metallic frames and bright fabrics, and you can even choose chairs with removable seat pads - just pull it away from its hook-and-loop fastening strip and secure a replacement on to the seat instead.
This effortless way to swap seat pads means you can have multiple pads per chair, allowing you to take dirty seat cushions away to be washed, without putting the chair out of action.
If the general style of banqueting furniture is not suitable for you, there are plenty of durable pub furniture options that can bring your tables and chairs up to date to satisfy any mystery shopper.
As mentioned above, wooden pub furniture is a classic option, and polished poseur tables, bar stools and bentwood chairs still create a unparalleled sense of a 'home from home' in any traditional public house, giving you a head start towards qualifying for accreditation under this new scheme.