Hospitality: The best ways to boost sale during summer

We’ve all been waiting for it—and the summer of 2022 is finally here. After a long couple of years where al fresco drinking and dining has been limited to our back gardens and local parks, everybody is geared up for a season of being able to eat, drink and socialise in pub beer gardens once again.

And the numbers back this up. According to creative insight agency for the hospitality industry KAM Media, 56% of pub-goers say they will visit the pub a minimum of once a week now the pandemic restrictions have lifted, and 78% say that they expect a pub to provide an experience they can’t replicated themselves at home this year.

So if you run a hospitality business, this is the summer to step up your game and make sure you’re offering your customers a truly memorable experience.

Show sporting events this summer

One of the best ways to draw in the crowds to your venue this summer is to tie in your offering to the sporting calendar:

Wimbledon, 27 June – 10 July
Tour de France, 1-24 July
Silverstone Grand Prix, 1-3 July
UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, 6-31 July
British Open, 14-17 July
The Hundred Cricket, July-August
Commonwealth Games, 28 July – 8 August

And the number of punters each event will draw in might surprise you, too—another recent hospitality report predicted that approximately 6.9 million Brits will watch the Women’s Euro in a pub or bar in 2022. Here are five ways you can tie in your offering to the 2022 sporting calendar to boost your business this summer.

Serve themed food and drink

Theming your food and drink menus around different sporting events is a great way to get involved in the summer sporting spirit.

Perhaps you could put together a French menu around the Tour de France, whether that’s a sophisticated lunch and champagne, or classic baguette sandwiches and French lager. You could serve strawberries and cream with pitchers of Pimm’s for Wimbledon, or multinational dishes for the Commonwealth Games.

Whatever you choose, offering a themed menu will help give your customers a unique and memorable experience.

2. Go big with TVs and screens

An obvious but essential element—make sure you have big screens inside and outside, so all your customers can watch the sporting event, wherever they’re sitting.

And don’t forget to consider placement when you’re setting up a screen outside, as nothing’s more frustrating that settling into a good seat for the sport but not being able to see the screen properly because of the glare of the sun, or people constantly walking past it to go to the bar.

3. Host live music events in the evenings

Another interesting finding from the hospitality insights agency was that a quarter of customers said that temptation would be greater if a venue was offering live music or a music-themed event.

And while us Brits need little reason to go to the pub, especially if there’s sport in the mix, tapping into this trend could help to pull in the people. Whether it’s a band, a DJ, an open mic night or a music quiz, live music is a fun way to attract customers, and keep your existing customers there in the evening once the day’s sporting event has finished.

4. Use premium parasols for summer shading

People want to get into the summer’s sporting spirit in the sunshine, not stuck indoors, so make sure you maximise your venue’s outdoor space with luxury parasols and smart café screens.

Our premium parasols offer a stylish shade solution (or shelter from the rain if the UK drizzle shows up), and there’s a wide range to choose from. The traditional market parasol has the pole and supporting base centrally underneath the canopy, giving you a traditional look, or you could go for a chic cantilever parasol—these have the pole and base mounted to the side, allowing you to easily move your furniture around underneath it.

Café screens are also essential if your outdoor area is on the street, separating your venue from the pavement and passers-by, but they can be used in any outside area or beer garden as well, or to create a walkway or queuing system. Don’t forget to get them personalised with your brand’s unique logo and information, using Instashade’s custom printing service.

5. Make your venue photo-worthy with decorations

Even the most simple decorations can show you’re getting in the sporting spirit this summer, such as dressing up a beer garden with bunting or using branded beer mats.

But make sure you never miss an opportunity to include your logo and social media handles on any products or ‘Instagrammable’ backdrops, so that social media-savvy customers can tag and share your venue details online, spreading the word about your business.