How Can Indoor Bars and Restaurants Compete with Outdoor Spaces in Summer?
It’s official: beer garden weather and rooftop terrace season is in full swing.
Outdoor spaces at bars, pubs, and restaurants are coming to life, and the battle to find any spare table or chair is well underway as people try to bag themselves the perfect sun-soaked spot to enjoy their favourite tipple.
But what happens to those indoor bars and restaurants that don't have the luxury of an outdoor space?
Warm weather and bright sunshine is few and far between in the UK, so bars and eateries offering outdoor space are often first choice on those rare sunny days.
Although this means success for some businesses, indoor-only businesses can struggle to compete with such a wide variety of outdoor spaces on offer.
The truth is, though, that you don't really need to be outside to enjoy the British summer, and indoor establishments can still attract customers through their door without needing to offer outdoor space.
If you’re an indoor-only business looking for advice on how to compete with outdoor spaces in summer, here are our top tips!
1. Offer the perfect sensory summer experience
If you can't extend your bar or restaurant to the outdoors, bring the outdoors in!
Roof terraces and beer gardens offer the full summer sensory experience with fresh air, natural light and summer scents, but interior biophilic elements offer a fantastic opportunity to bring a fresh look and atmosphere to an indoor bar.
Living walls, hanging plants and moss features are all great ways of bringing an indoor space to life and helping it to merge with the outdoors.
2. Create a well-lit space
You can help to attract sun-seekers to your venue during the summer months by ensuring you’re utilising all the natural light that’s flooding into the space.
Arranging furniture near to windows and making sure windows are plentiful where possible, means that customers don't compromise on the bright and airy summer vibes by spending time indoors.
Sliding or bi-folding, full-length windows and glass panes are an innovative compromise to having no outdoor space.
Your customers can then enjoy their food and favourite tipples from the comfort of the indoors whilst still benefitting from the feel of the sun on their face and the smell of fresh air filling their lungs!
3. Provide irresistible summer and nature-inspired drinks
Biophilia doesn't have to be limited to the design of your interior. It can also be used to boost the appeal of your drinks selection.
Cocktails with flowers, and fresh botanical elements, tie that summer vibe into your establishment’s fantastic drink offerings and can contribute to the overall feeling of summer within your space.
Paired with indoor greenery, natural light and wonderful fresh air, you can create the ultimate indoor drinks terrace.
4. Feature natural materials in furniture
When you imagine a beer garden or outdoor terrace, what do you think of?
You're likely imagining some rustic/industrial outdoor furniture or rows of those classic wooden benches.
These aren’t always the most comfortable of seating options but they serve a practical purpose as they’re easy to fix in place and are built to be more resilient to the outdoor conditions.
You can however, use this to your advantage for your indoor venue. When bringing the outside in, you have the ability to offer a far more comfortable and stylish solution with your furniture arrangement.
Furniture and interior features constructed with natural materials can again tie an indoor establishment with the summer season and shape a wonderful summery atmosphere that customers will enjoy spending time in!
We’re passionate about shaping the perfect atmosphere and customer experience through clever interior design.
By optimising the best features of your premises and thinking about ways to tie your indoor bar or restaurant with the outdoor space that customers adore so much, you can compete with those bustling roof terraces and beer gardens.
Take a look at our portfolio to see some of the projects we’ve already worked on, and let’s chat about your space!
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