Garden Living

Features

WHY PUB OWNERS¬ÝSHOULD CONSIDER INVESTING IN THEIR OUTDOOR SPACE ...

Just flick through any lifestyle magazine or switch on the TV and you can't fail to see evidence of the current consumer obsession with the newly termed "outdoor room", formerly known as the garden! In pursuit of that all important living accommodation, the public are now turning their attention to the outdoors as a means to extend their day to day living space. And with the media constantly tempting us with examples of "designer living", householders are keen to ensure their outdoor space echoes the same commitment to stylish design as any interior room. Balance this with the constant plugging of the need to adopt a healthier lifestyle and the importance of dragging the kids away from the all powerful TV set or computer console and suddenly "outdoor" or "garden living" have become the buzz words of the noughties.

But what relevance does all of this have to the Pub Owner? Perhaps more than you think ....

Firstly, let's take the much talked about no smoking ban which looms ahead of us. With a significant proportion of regular pub goers used to the freedom of smoking in the pub environment, pub owners need to think of ways in which to retain this important clientele whilst abiding by the new legislation which will prohibit smoking in all pubs, clubs and restaurants in England from the summer of 2007. A revival of the pub garden is an obvious solution, and far from being merely a seasonal offering which can bolster trade during the summer months, thanks to various heating and shelter innovations, the public can now have year round access to the garden.

Let us also not forget the importance of the family trade. For many parents, a meal out at the pub with the children signifies a regular leisure pursuit, but young children and confined spaces generally don't mix! Pubs boasting an attractive outdoor space which offers a safe environment for children can capitalize on this slice of family trade which also has a wonderful PR knock-on effect,with the parent grapevine spinning into action as mums and dads happily recommend a venue which provides the all too often lacking welcome to parents with young children in tow.

Finally, consider the obvious benefits of having access to additional space to accommodate customers simply by exploiting the exterior as well as interior of your premises. Combine this with the aesthetic appeal of an attractive garden which immediately enhances your business's style credentials and communicates a genuine sense of being in tune with current consumer lifestyle trends ’Äì and investing in your outdoor space starts to make a lot of sense.

Having presented an argument for putting your garden in order, what can be done to transform what can sometimes be a dingy backyard into an inviting outdoor room? Let's be clear here, it is possible to spend a lot of money creating a fantastic garden but if you don't have a huge amount of space, nor a particularly huge amount of money to spend, don't worry, you can still achieve dramatic results if you work with the right garden design / construction business. Clever design can work wonders be it on a generous country estate or in a tiny urban garden but you need to have the relevant experience and creative flair to achieve this. Remember landscapers are not necessarily designers so make sure you have a specific garden design to work to as well as a company that is able to interpret the design to achieve a quality build. Always seek out a BALI (British Association of Landscape Industries) accredited company and make sure they are fully insured.

Plan ahead

Just like any good builder, the best garden design & construction companies will have a bulging forward orders book so make sure you give your contractor plenty of notice as to when you want to have the work completed by.

Get inspired by the myriad of magazines and make-over programmes focusing on home enhancement and have a strong opinion as to the type of look you are hoping to achieve. A reputable designer will want to spend time with you talking about the priorities for your outdoor space and of course, the budget available to support those aspirations. From these discussions and a site visit, he / she is able to draw up a concept sketch with planting / materials / accessory etc recommendations. Once the design concept is approved, you should be presented with a personalized, detailed estimate and comprehensive terms and conditions. Make sure you have agreed the anticipated timings and all costs before you give the go-ahead for work to commence.

Low maintenance

At the end of the day, your priority is running a profitable business and it is unlikely that you are going to want to have to spend endless amounts of time maintaining the garden. Make this quite clear to your garden design / construction team at the briefing stage. Vast areas of neatly manicured lawns and flower beds may look amazing but don't be fooled into thinking they will stay that way without a significant amount of regular work.

Apart from the obvious mowing requirement, grassed areas should also be kept to a minimum if you want to achieve a room that is accessible year round. A paved patio / courtyard not only looks stunning, it can also make a limited amount of space look larger ’Äì and of course, you can use it twelve months of the year. If you want to feature planted areas within the garden consider putting down a bark chipping mulch to minimize weed growth and opt for quick growing / low maintenance plants.

Create rooms

If you are looking to use the outdoor room to predominantly offer committed smokers a place to indulge in their favourite habit, think very carefully how to make this work if at the same time, you also want to attract the family market. No parent is going to feel happy watching their children play in an area which is affected by passive smoking. Hedges, trees and even willow screens can be used to effectively divide the garden area up into "rooms" so you could create a defined play area, outdoor eating and dedicated smoking area. Ideally you should position any children's play area as far away from any potential smoke hazard as possible.

Play safe

Play equipment should always be positioned over a safe ground covering which will help to cushion any potential falls and provide protection against friction burns, cuts and bruises. Options include soft and springy grass, barkwood chip, sand or a whole host of cushioning materials. A popular choice is Playsafe, a rubber safety play surface produced from recycled solid rubber tyres which is clean, non-toxic and will not deteriorate like woodchip, sawdust and bark (nor will it compact like sand). It is available in a variety of shades, so you can even use it to inject a touch of colour and enhance the overall look of the garden!

Follow these simple guidelines from RoSPA when purchasing garden play equipment: - - Always look for safety labels and ensure they comply with current British Standards (CE or GS mark indicates a degree of quality) - Be sure to check that the equipment is supplied with full installation, maintenance and operating instructions. Most reputable suppliers of play equipment will indicate a recommended age and / or use and durability guidelines

- Any paint which features on the play equipment should be non-toxic and low lead - Check all tube ends are capped and that there are no protruding bolts or parts - Check all hand grips are less than 40mm in diameter - Make sure the equipment is firmly fixed to the ground so there is no risk of it toppling over, once in place, check bolts or nuts regularly to ensure that they have not become loose

Keep it hot, hot, hot

There are now a variety of innovative ways to inject some warmth into an outdoor garden space. To heat up a small area during the cooler months, say around tables on the patio think about investing in a patio heater. Or for a more dramatic heat source a Firepit / Brazier is the ultimate in contemporary chic and is equally at home in a traditional country pub garden or ultra modern city pub garden setting ’Äì and of course it doubles up as a modern barbecue option.

Let there be light

A given for transforming the pub garden into a stylish room from January right through to December is the need to install appropriate lighting. Just as we vary the lighting in different rooms in a house, so too can we adapt the lighting effects in the various "rooms" within an outdoor space, to create a unique ambience for each section of the garden. Remember that there will be specific areas within the garden where you need to project more light for practical reasons, for example access lighting which provides safe access around the garden by lighting up paths, steps, doors and any water features. You may also want to consider security lighting as a deterrent to opportunist burglars. Clever creative lighting can also be used to encourage a desired atmosphere and can be applied to subtly enhance planting, garden features and architecture to inject a real sense of drama into your outside room.