The pub is a cornerstone of the British community. We have all grown up spending time in these places with friends, family, and neighbours. But what does it take to create this ultimate Devon country pub experience? The pub has always been about one thing – good food, good times, and great beer. (That’s 3 things…) If you are looking for an example of a high-quality pub refurbishment that puts you and your customers first, look no further than The Thatched Tavern in Maidencombe.
Creating a high-quality dining experience
In the last two years (and after a devastating fire) The Thatched Tavern created a high-quality dining experience for locals and tourists alike. Their offer features fresh, locally sourced produce, in a transformed environment of sumptuously appointed furnishings and fittings and finished with scrupulous attention to every detail.
When the kitchen fire struck the day after contract exchange, our first priority was to make safe. And through the ashes, we could see there was an opportunity to create something truly special and bespoke to the needs of the client and their customers.
Mark Green, Fruition
Running a pub in a competitive environment
Pubs now face stiffer competition than ever before, not only from one another but also from a variety of other hospitality businesses. Finding ways to set yourself apart from the crowd might be the difference between success and failure when it comes to competing with cafés and restaurants for the same clientele. The décor and ambience in your pub will have a significant impact on your customer experience, ratings, reviews, and return visits.
High-quality fixtures, Fittings and Furnishings
Not only does the look of your furnishings influence the atmosphere, but it also influences the customer experience. Comfort is important, and it doesn’t have to be expensive. Small adjustments, such as upgrading to more comfortable chairs, adding backrests to bar stools, or replacing table tops can make for a significantly more pleasant and pleasurable customer experience.
Material choices for your bar refurbishment
The look and feel of your bar can be completely transformed by using high-quality materials, costing more, but ultimately worth the investment for the durability. It’s always worth speaking with your designer to understand how design choices stand up to wear and tear over time.
If a section of your bar is going to be used regularly, then it makes sense that its quality should reflect that use – not just because of aesthetics but also resilience. While having a beautiful wooden floor might seem like a good idea at first glance, wood isn’t always practical for heavy traffic areas as it wears over time. For high-traffic areas, we recommend luxury vinyl tile (LVT) ceramic tiling, and solid wood trim where appropriate to the design.
Using furniture to enhance layout
Furniture may also be used to modify the internal layout without having to make any structural modifications. You can effectively create varied sections by placing furniture in different ways and using various types and heights of furnishings. Low level coffee tables and sofas can be used to make a lounge area for watching sports or casual drinks. You can define the area around the bar with high poseur tables and bar stools. Using furniture effectively to form distinct areas for different purposes and moods can transform the interior of your pub.
Taking the quality offer forward next year
In terms of developing and promoting the pub into 2022, we plan to attract the local community, and tourists enjoying British staycations. Reflecting on the first year in business, we will look at everything that we’ve achieved this year, what went well, what didn’t go so well, and then go from there.
If there’s anything this past year has taught us,
Stephen Naylor, Owner, The Thatched Tavern
is you can’t predict what the future holds.
Dedicated to continuous improvement
The same attention to detail that has created The Thatched Tavern will be applied to improving it year on year. Specifically, they are improving car parking accessibility for all by re-paving, and trimming back the Maidencombe beach car park, with improved public conveniences and signage. Looking back at what they offer, how they offer it, and taking on board all our customer feedback, they will see if there’s anything we can improve upon and will continue to do that year on year. It’s that willingness to learn, to take on board feedback, and to pivot and adapt that has seen them through these difficult two years. But the attention to detail has never diminished.
Collaborative relationships with high quality outcomes
We are in collaborative relationships with local suppliers. Not simply buying from them – we’re working together and collaborating. Because when we do well, they do well and its paying that forward.
We are always moving forward and looking for opportunities to innovate and attract customers, updating our menus in partnership with suppliers as seasons evolve. Our award-winning chef has full oversight of all equipment, supply, training and quality.
Stephen Naylor, The Thatched Tavern
Delivering a high-quality pub design
We are passionate about pub refurbishments that deliver a high-quality look and feel, created through our attention to every detail. Fruition delivers pub refurbishments that not only look good, but also feel great. We ensure pub designs are in keeping with the pub’s heritage and character.
Depend on restaurant refurbishment specialists
As an interior design agency that specialises in restaurant refurbishment, we understand how crucial using quality materials is to the success of your establishment. Even though these materials may come at a higher cost, investing in them is worthwhile due to their resilience and durability. It’s essential to collaborate with your designer to select the most suitable materials for your restaurant’s design and how they will adapt over time. At our agency, we are dedicated to delivering the best results by ensuring that every aspect of your restaurant’s interior is handled with precision and consideration.
Pub refurbishment encourages a vibrant community of regulars
Whether you want to create an inviting space where locals come together over drinks; or if it’s pub refurbishments you’re looking for to attract and retain tourists, we can help. Our pub design team will work with you to create a pub environment that is welcoming and comfortable – so your customers want to come back time and again.
Pub designs are about people not pubs
At Fruition, our pub refurbishment philosophy is simple. It’s not about pub designs, it’s about people and pub communities. We believe in giving pub-goers what they want – a great pub design that reflects the pub community spirit of their local area.
We will never try to change who you are as an establishment; we just aim to enhance your existing brand identity for all its worth.
Want to learn more?
For more information about how our dedication to quality and attention to detail, get in touch with us: studio@fruition-design.co.uk