REVEALED: Best Beer Gardens in England 2021

With beer gardens open once again, we went in search of the best ones across England. 

Taking into account customer reviews, social media data, locality and much more, we used the latest Google Maps data to form this list. Our interactive map shows you the top 3 in each of the country’s biggest cities. Find the best beer gardens in your area below.

Why Pubs Need Outdoor Space

England’s beer gardens are a cornerstone of the nation’s culture and economy. As a supplier of Commercial Awnings for Restaurants, Pubs & Cafes, we know a thing or two about that here at Roché. However, most pubs have suffered a hit with the pandemic and national lockdowns. Starting in 2020, the restrictions have meant food and beverage services, which includes beer gardens, suffered a 48% economic loss. In the first full COVID-19 lockdown alone pub beer sales dropped by 96%.

Pubs needed to re-open, and the April 12th ease of restrictions proved a lifeline for many.

However, the newest government guidelines require pubs to have a big enough outdoor space to be able to open their doors. According to the British Beer & Pub Association, only around 17% of pubs have the conditions to do so. Now, more than ever, having a beer garden is great for your pub!

Why Awnings are Great For Your Beer Garden

Retractable Awnings provide an excellent finish touch to your outdoor area while increasing outdoor seating capacity and a unique feature for your business. They allow customers to enjoy themselves and benefit from shade during warm days whilst enjoying a cold drink.

Thanks to awnings, live music performances and other outdoor functions are no longer constricted by sudden bad weather.

With indoor dining restrictions, it allows you to make the most use of your pub’s outdoor space, creating a comfortable experience outdoors for your clients.

• “We have two patio awnings installed to cover the pub’s beer garden. It’s great for customers especially with outdoor service starting up. Weather can discourage people from eating outdoors – the awnings mean they have somewhere to retreat to and gives us more space to spread out tables and chairs. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back!” – Simon Watkin, Junction Bar, Chesterfield

Best Awning Type for Your Beer Garden

Awnings are a simple addition with visual appeal. The ability to choose materials means awnings can easily match your business style and grab the attention of customers passing by. The addition of bespoke signwriting means you can display your brand and have the benefit of drawing customers in.

Different types of awnings mean you can choose the right solution for your location and your needs. For example, we provide awnings accessories that allow you to add heaters and light fixtures, making your beer garden a place to relax during the evenings as well as privacy for diners where this is more of a concern.

You can find the best awnings for pubs and decide on what works best for you. 

New Outdoor Seating Rules

Under the new measures, bars, pubs, cafés and restaurants no longer need to apply to local councils for planning permission to put up awnings and other structures. This effort to help bounce back economically from the pandemic aims to revive high streets, support the hospitality industry and help get people back to work. 

To support business to reopen during the summer, these rules make it simpler to add outdoor seating. And less red tape means more pubs, restaurants and cafes can serve customers outdoors. This makes it all the more important to provide a great outdoor experience

Originally introduced in July 2020, the rules have been extended for another 12 months as of March 5th 2021.

Profit from Awnings

When it’s time to weigh the cost of installing an awning in your beer garden there are plenty of benefits: an awning is a relatively quick and affordable solution, and can often be built or installed in a few days. Freestanding awnings can be installed without fixing to a building, and are manufactured to your exact size requirements for maximum sun protection.

As for the revenue that an awning can bring to a beer garden, an outdoor seating area can increase revenue by as much as 30%. Why? Having an awning increases the usable floor space and means customers can stay longer but are also more likely to return. 

At Roché we’ve been installing awnings for over 20 years and we’ve worked on a diverse set of projects, with first-hand knowledge on the best commercial awnings for each pub. 

Contact us and our expert team will help find the right solution for your space.