The last couple of months have been unprecedented, to say the least.
The world was hit with the deadly, and highly infectious, coronavirus which led to a pandemic that has changed the way that we live.

One of the many consequences of COVID-19 has been that restaurants and food outlets across the UK were forced to close their doors and shut down their premises; only being able to conduct business via home deliveries online.

It’s clear that the British public are missing their local pubs and favourite restaurants as they make up part of the fabric of our society and they’re at the centre of many people’s work, social family lives.
We all miss grabbing a drink after work with our colleagues, coming together with friends at the weekend for a much needed catch-up over a lovely meal and spending some quality time with our family at a local spot.

Though we don’t know exactly when this will be a reality again, we can rest assured that much of the UK will be flooding to restaurant and pub doors as soon as they do re-open - and don’t you want to make a bold statement when that time does come?

Could you utilise this time in lockdown to restore and renew your business...with our help, of course?

Refurbishing a restaurant, cafe or pub can take anywhere between 4 - 12 weeks, depending on the scale of the job, and would typically require you to shut down your premises whilst the contractors and fitters carry out the work.
This can lead to a huge loss in revenue which is why many establishments choose to undergo refurbishment during quieter business periods.

This national lockdown has been a massive headache for many businesses and business owners, but it could also be used as an opportunity, especially if you were already considering renovating your premises.
Your restaurant or pub is currently not in use so why not utilise this downtime for something that will benefit your business in the long run?

Furthermore, all public spaces have had to comply with guidelines provided by the government on how to keep their workers and customers safe from the spread of COVID-19.
This has included introducing strict social distancing measures and increased good hygiene practices which have meant that most, if not all, businesses have had to redesign their premises, in some way, to meet these new safety standards.

For restaurants and cafes, though the exact safety measures have not yet been announced, this is likely to mean that spaces between tables will need to be at a minimum of 2-metres, queuing and waiting areas will need to provide 2-metre distance markings, exits and entrances will need to be fitted with hand-sanitiser dispensers, and one-way systems may need to be implemented too.

Hence, if your restaurant, cafe or pub will have to undergo some form of redesign to comply with these new rules and get COVID-19 secure, then you may as well use the opportunity to refurbish the entire premises, if needed.

Benefits of refurbishing your restaurant, cafe or pub

Refurbishment doesn’t have to mean completely gutting the property and starting from scratch to create something completely new or different.
Though the option to do so is available, and is encouraged for older, outdated businesses, or those that are structurally unsound, it can also mean small and more affordable changes to the interior or exterior of a building that needs a bit of TLC.

Here are some examples of how little changes can go a long way to benefitting your restaurant or pub.

Could your walls do with a touch-up of paint, or a new colour altogether?

It is advised by professional painters that walls are repainted every 5-7 years in high traffic areas of the home. This would, presumably, be necessary more frequently, for restaurants and pubs as they experience considerably more traffic than the average domestic property.

With that in mind, if it’s been more than five years since you painted your walls, or had them touched up with paint, we strongly suggest that you use this time to do so now.

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders to the atmosphere in a space; it will make the colour look more vivid and remove any marks or stains that were causing the property to feel old, creating a rejuvenated environment for your customers.

You could even look at using a different colour or shade to really make a statement when it’s time to finally reopen your doors.

Has your furniture started to fall apart or look outdated?

The chairs and tables, even the cutlery, at your establishment undergo a heavy amount of use on a day to day basis, and are often not shown the same courtesy as one’s furniture at home.

As a result, restaurant, cafe and pub furniture has a much shorter lifespan than domestic furniture and should be replaced as soon as you begin to clearly notice any of the following:

• Broken or uneven legs which cause the chair/table to be unstable and, potentially, unsafe
• Stains or smells that cannot be removed no matter how often the furniture is cleaned/washed
• Dents, rips or tears that make the establishment look rundown or unattractive

It’s important to understand that the seat a customer sits on and the table that they eat at can have an effect on their level of comfort, and the less comfortable a customer feels the less likely they are to stay as long (and, hence, spend more money) or return.

Consequently, buying and fitting new furniture doesn’t just have a visual appeal but, more importantly, it can affect your customer’s feelings and experience which, in turn, can impact revenue.

Is your hardwood flooring in need of refinishing or replacing?

Hardwood is the number one choice of flooring for restaurants and pubs in the UK, mainly because it’s a very durable material which is important for these types of commercial properties as they undergo a lot of footfall as well as spills and stains from food and drinks.

When your hardwood floors start to discolour or the damage (i.e. scratches and scuffs) can no longer be ignored, it’s time for them to undergo refinishing. Learn more about what this entails by reading our previous blog, Beginner’s Guide to Refinishing Hardwood Floors in a Commercial Property

Alternatively, if you want a new look altogether, then it might be time to replace your current hardwood floors.