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How hospitality businesses can maximise outdoor spaces for better business

Alfresco dining is popular among bars and restaurants throughout the world. However, as balmy summer evenings transition into chilly winter nights, restaurants are forced to decrease their seating capacity, as people are understandably unwilling to brave the elements.

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Alfresco dining in the hospitality sector is popular among bars and restaurants worldwide, and was the first area to open after the pandemic lockdowns. However, as balmy summer evenings transition into chilly winter nights, restaurants are forced to decrease their seating capacity, as people are understandably unwilling to brave the elements.

With seating capacity decreasing by as much as 50 – 60%, depending on layout, having the ability to maintain a comfortable outdoor dining experience all year round has a sizable positive effect on profit.

The key to creating a valuable outdoor space is making the area just as comfortable for diners outdoors as it is for patrons indoors. While this may seem costly, it is quite simple, requiring only three essential items – Shelter, lighting, and heating.

Shelter – protecting diners from the elements

While overhead shelters such as awnings and pergolas are apparent solutions to protecting diners from rain, artificial walls and screens should also be implemented. These protect from wind and driving rain and can be purchased for a very reasonable price.

Transparent PVC patio blinds can be easily rolled up and down when required and at only $80 – $120 per blind (depending on size), are a very cost-effective solution.

Lighting your outdoor space

The atmosphere of a bar or restaurant should not end when you go outside. While you should maintain the atmosphere by not excessively illuminating your outdoor patrons, they should also be able to see what they are doing. Exterior lighting is also a great marketing tool that, when done well, can help attract new customers. The most cost-effective lighting solution is LED. LED lighting conserves significantly more energy than halogen bulbs, because of this it has been fast embraced by major restaurant chains worldwide.

Outdoor Heating

Heating your outdoor space is one of the best ways to attract more diners. However, not all outdoor heaters are created equal, and you must understand the differences between different types of outdoor heaters. In the past, gas-powered heat lamps have been a popular choice for restaurants. However, with improvements in electric heating technology, implementing overhead, electric heaters is much more cost-effective and energy-efficient.

A range of heaters that utilize infrared rays do well in outdoor dining areas. These act similarly to the sun’s rays (but without harmful UV) passing through the air and only absorbed by solid objects. Unlike gas heaters which only heat the surrounding air, resulting in a large amount of wastage, infrared outdoor heaters give you a comfortable outdoor space at a much lower energy cost.

“We recently installed infrared heaters for a function. Although it was an indoor space, the venue had no walls, meaning attendees were dining outside. After installing our infrared heaters, diners commented that they felt very comfortable, despite a minus one degree Celsius evening. Without these heaters, this venue, and many like it, would simply be unusable on these cold winter nights”, commented Kelvin Davis, director of Kelray Heating.

HubSpot