We have seen a few sunny spells but now that schools are letting out, we can look forward to a long summer of distracting the kids – and what better than a pub lunch with the family! This can be the best time of the year for pubs and restaurants, as the public puts on their shorts and hats and pops out for a pint in the sun. So let’s take advantage of it!
Putting yourself in a new customer’s shoes: what would you expect when you go inside a pub – especially for summer trade? If you have a pub garden, does everyone know about it?
Make sure your garden is presentable – don’t just open the door and chuck a few tables and chairs out! Clean off your furniture, tidy your plants, check over any children’s play equipment. They’re small tasks that make all the difference.
Now, we don’t always get the weather we hope for so you’ll need to be equipped for a typical British summer! A covered area, temporary or no, will provide emergency cover from the rain – and during summers like this one, vital shelter from the sun, especially for children.
Customers will look for long, cool refreshing drinks and seasonal ales. A new summer menu or promotional offers on summer drinks, and fun drinks for kids is a great way to encourage new and old customers through the door.
People love to eat outside in the evenings so the menu must be carefully designed with that in mind, and displayed so people can easily access it.
Summer is also the time for BBQs and beer festivals – beer festivals are especially popular, so if you decide to hold one, remember that you may have to cater for a lot more people than usual.
Ideas are the easy bit – organising it successfully is another matter. Here are a few things you will need to remember:
TENs:
If you’re planning on having an event this summer, you may want to check the terms of your license – a TENs (Temporary Event Notice) may be required for anything larger than average!
Advertise:
Don’t just expect people to turn up – promote yourself! Simple, bold flyers advertising time, date and event are handy, as well as Facebook posts, news updates to your website, and even talking about it to your regulars. Word of mouth spreads fast!
Most importantly, have fun and make the most of this summer!