The summer months offer restaurants, pubs, and cafes around the United Kingdom the chance to improve their income. Warm, sunny days encourage people to visit their favourite eating establishments. The summer of 2018 and its warm weather has fuelled a surge in business at restaurants, pubs, and cafes around the U.K. Patrons don’t want to sit indoors and look at the great weather through a window. They want to be outside enjoying the warm weather under a great looking commercial awning.
Businesses without outside space lose money during summer time when the weather is warm. Restaurants lacking a place to seat customers outside discourages them from visiting. The simple addition of outdoor seating and an awning to protect patrons from the sun can improve business exponentially. Yet, that isn’t the only reason businesses should invest in a commercial awning. In fact, there are numerous reasons why a business should install an awning to increase income and decrease costs.
It isn’t just restaurants and cafés that should add great looking retractable awnings. Butcher shops and jewellers can all benefit from adding a folding arm awning to their store.
So, what can an awning do for a business?
Attraction and Appeal
An awning offers a business the chance to advertise. Restaurants can brand their own commercial awnings and patrons can see them from a distance. The ability to attract patrons who normally wouldn’t see the business can greatly improve income. Summertime weather usually means more people are out on the streets. Whether walking, driving, or riding bicycles along the street, an attractive commercial awning can bring in new business.
Many businesses attract passersby from the street. An attractive branded awning can bring these passersby into the business. Awnings provide marketing to stores without a company spending money on commercials or flyers that can be ignored by potential customers. Not only can passersby see a business’s folding arm awning during opening hours, but they can see them throughout the day and night when the business is shut. Therefore, a company can advertise 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A great awning can appeal to customers as they pass by. It can encourage them to experience the business.
Bespoke awnings can be designed to fit a business’s outside space. They can be created to perfectly fit a business and attract customers. Businesses are able to do so much more than just shade their customers from the warm sun with an awning.
Outside Space
The addition of an awning allows restaurants to expand their seating. Yes, many restaurants may have outdoor space for customers. Yet, they decide to skimp on an awning. This prevents customers from enjoying the warm summer weather. Customers worry about sitting outside in the sun for too long. Sunburns or sun stroke can be a worry during the summer months. Families can be put off from experiencing a restaurant as they want to escape the sun, but still sit outside. In addition, parents may not want their small children exposed to the sun for long periods. Once again, this prevents customers from spending money.
Awnings add value to a restaurant in summer. Many customers want to be outdoors as much as possible. Gorgeous awnings provide that opportunity. If the weather turns during the warmer months and rain falls as it often does in the U.K., awnings provide an escape for customers. Whether it is warm and sunny or rainy during the summer months, retractable awnings offer the best chance to attract customers to any restaurant.
Added Income
It isn’t just the ability to seat customers outside in the warm weather that makes awnings great. Restaurants can see their income increase thanks to the addition of an awning. How does this happen? The added space outside gives the business the chance to welcome more patrons. These customers can sit outside and increase the capacity of the restaurant. The expansion of space provides more seating which allows for more income to be brought in. The simple addition of a commercial awning makes for simple expansion. A few tables, chairs, and retractable awning is all that is needed for a restaurant to increase its capacity.
In addition to the added tables for customers, restaurants can see their energy bills decrease. In fact, all business can see their energy bills decrease by adding a folding arm awning. In the warm months, awnings are able to block the sun and keep the inside of a business cool. This allows companies to use less air conditioning. In many businesses and shops around the U.K., they don’t even have air conditioning. Therefore, the addition of an awning prevents the overheating of the interior of a building. Customers will not go to a hot, stuffy buildings in the summertime. Business can suffer and with the power of social media and websites like TripAdvisor, businesses can see their income plummet. By blocking the sun in the summertime, retractable awnings keep shops, restaurants, and other businesses cool and customers happy. Income increases, and energy bills decrease making it a win-win situation for many businesses.
Protects Furniture
Businesses in the food industry need to cut costs whenever they can. Buying expensive furnishings for a restaurant can hit a restaurant’s wallet hard. The weather can play a part in destroying tables, chairs, and other furnishings in a restaurant. The sun can badly damage wood furniture just as it does a person’s skin. Fading and discoloration are just two effects of too much sunlight on wood surfaces. It isn’t just restaurants that see these problems. Jewellers can have their products damaged by UV rays. Chemists can have their sales items spoilt by too much sunlight and overheating. Of course, direct sunlight can turn great meats at a butcher’s shop into ruined food.
Retractable awnings can stop sun damage from occurring to products near windows or located outside. A window awning will block out the sun and stop direct and unlike blinds or curtains, awnings look far more natural and professional.
Commercial awnings provide so many benefits to businesses in the summertime. By adding a simple retractable awning, businesses can improve their income and decrease their spending in no time.
Are you ready for Summer 2019?
Make the most of your outdoor area, whether it be your home or business, by adding a stylish awning which will look great and be a practical addition to your space. To find out more about our range of awnings, or our awning repair service, get in contact with us at Signature Blinds and Shutters on 01293 772 827 or pop in to our showroom.