The British pub is in transition. Social trends such as the ban on smoking in public places and the declining popularity of beer – and indeed alcohol in general - among younger drinkers are forcing pubs to change their ways.
There are commercial pressures, too. Many pubs are being bought up for development, often being demolished or converted into flats, though in some cases landlords and local communities are fighting back and saving their local pubs from the developers – as has happened with the Golden Lion in Camden, north London. And in northwest London, when a popular pub, the Carlton Tavern, was demolished by its new owners, the local council ruled that the demolition was illegal and ordered the owners of the property to rebuild it, brick by brick. The restaurant trade, meanwhile, is faring better, but while the number of enterprises is rising, it is still a highly competitive business. In 2017, the number of restaurants going out of business rose by one fifth.
This means that pubs and restaurants are having to fight harder than ever to maintain or increase their share of customers’ spending. One way they can do this is by making their premises more attractive, more comfortable and more efficient. Which means looking carefully at design in general, and at one factor in particular: furniture.
Are your customers sitting comfortably?
Let’s begin with pub furniture. A relatively easy and inexpensive way of giving your pub a facelift is to invest in some new pub chairs and pub tables. You will be surprised at how much brighter and smarter an interior becomes with the addition of new furniture. Remember though, that while it might be tempting to go for a cheaper option, only commercial-grade furniture is built to withstand the rigours of a busy environment.
Remember, too, that if pubs are to survive, they need to attract a wider customer base.
This means more young people, more families, more women. And furniture can help with this, by signalling that your pub is not just a tired old boozer with tired old customers, but a bright, welcoming and inclusive place. A big leather sofa or some comfortable armchairs, with low tables, can transform a wall or a corner into a cosy retreat. Contemporary high stools – known as “poseur” chairs – can be placed up against the bar for solo drinkers. There is no need to stick to a single style: traditional chairs such as Trent Furniture’s Wheelback chair could be combined with Trent’s Art Deco table. And the Wheelback chair is available either with a solid wood seat, or in an upholstered version for greater comfort.
Softly softly
Interior design trends come and go, and it would be ruinously expensive to follow the fluctuations from year to year. There are, however, long-term trends that are worth investigating. The pub-trade journal The Morning Advertiser suggests that pub interiors are set to become more “homely”, with an emphasis on comfort and tradition. So: solid wooden furniture, leather armchairs and sofas, and perhaps even cushions are the way to go. The Rovers Return in Coronation Street is an example of this: softly furnished booths, upholstered bar stools.
It’s worth remembering too that if you are buying in bulk, Trent Furniture’s pub furniture packages offer value for money.
You also need to think about disabled access. The law says you should make “reasonable” efforts to accommodate people with disabilities. Is there enough space between tables for a person in a wheelchair to move freely? And it’s not just about the law. A customer in a wheelchair might be accompanied by a group of family members or friends, so, by catering to the wheelchair-user’s needs, you are also welcoming in a larger group of customers. Everyone wins.
Choosing furniture for a restaurant
If you are furnishing or re-furnishing a restaurant, there are some basics to be borne in mind. There should be a minimum of 18 inches (45cm) between chairs – more if you are aiming for the “fine dining” end of the market. When coming up with a floor plan, the flow of staff and customers is a crucial factor. Is there an easy path from the door to the tables, and from tables to the lavatory?
Can waiters move easily between tables? It might be tempting to squeeze in as many tables as you can, but this can be counterproductive. Customers resent being squashed together; they want to have private conversations and don’t want to be banging chairs or clashing elbows with their neighbours.
Before making any decisions, you could do some research by visiting neighbouring restaurants and taking note of what works and what doesn’t work. And try to take a look at your own restaurant through the eyes of your customers. When you’re setting out your restaurant furniture, take time to sit in every single seat, and ask yourself: would you be happy to sit and eat there?
What’s your type?
You also need to think about what kind of restaurant you want to be. Traditional? Contemporary? Relaxed? Formal? Fast food? Fine dining? Family friendly? This will determine your choice of furniture. Customers who are popping in for half an hour will be less concerned about comfort than diners who are spending a couple of hours over a three-course meal. Trent Furniture’s Italia bistro chair would be suitable for a more relaxed environment, while Trent’s Abbruzzo dining chair would suit a more formal restaurant.
As with pub interiors, it would be ruinously expensive to follow the short-term trends in restaurant design and furniture, which change from year to year. But one long-term trend worth bearing in mind is for mixing up textures, finishes, colours and styles. Even a vast chain such as McDonald’s is taking heed of this trend with its redesigned restaurants; one such, in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, features chairs and tables in contrasting materials, plastic and wood, combined with long banquette-style leather club sofas.
New ways of eating
Your furniture should also reflect today’s changing eating habits. Single people are more likely to eat out on their own; but so too are large groups or families. Mealtimes are more flexible these days; brunch becomes lunch which merges into dinner. So your furniture arrangement should be flexible. Be prepared to move tables and chairs around into new groupings as people come and go. Perhaps you could invest in a large communal “sharing” table – today’s diners are less squeamish about sharing a table with a group of strangers.
Another consideration is noise. There’s been a trend in recent years towards restaurants with lots of hard surfaces – metal, glass, tiles – as well as noisy open kitchens with metal counters. This can look impressive, but sound bounces off these surfaces and can make conversation difficult. So try to incorporate some softer surfaces or fabrics into your interior – leather chairs, upholstered chairs, wooden tables.
In conclusion...
It’s important to put yourself in your customer’s shoes. A word that’s increasingly used in service industries is “experience”. People come to a pub or restaurant not just for a drink or a meal; they want an “experience”. By taking a long, hard look at your offering, including your furniture, you can help to make that experience a pleasant and memorable one