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When Andy
Middleton and wife Caroline took over the Rose & Crown pub, they
found themselves caught up in a fierce competition for the affluent,
upmarket, clientele craved by the country pubs of Sutton in North
Yorkshire. So they did what any threatened publicans would do, they
took the competition outside.
They had at
their disposal a large garden which, whilst pleasant, was not the
cash cow he needed to distinguish himself from his competition. He
decided to build an Empire&ldots;a 24-cover Breeze House, Empire.
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The Empire,
like its namesake, is a formidable structure. It is an alfresco
styled thatch and timber outdoor shelter of Pavilion size and
comfortably accommodates five individual tables. The spacious
structure makes for both an ideal external function room as well as a
cool shaded summer seating area.
Deciding to
invest so much in the garden was not an impulse buy. The Empire
Breeze House is amongst the most luxurious of Breeze House products.
Speaking of his decision Andy recalls: |
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"We
definitely had to do something to distinguish ourselves from the
other upmarket pubs in the area. The best potential that we could see
was in our garden. There were many cheaper alternatives that we could
have embraced, but given our clientele, we needed the most luxurious
and durable product we could find. So Breeze House was the best
option for that."
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Andy, a firm
believer in getting what you pay for, not only invested in the Empire
but also asked Breeze House to help install several other tables and
umbrellas. Breeze House completed the project in under a day.
Andy remembers
the reactions of Sutton residents: "I think locals were
initially surprised to see such a sizeable structure in our gardens.
Our regulars even treated it with some suspicion at first, wondering
how this would affect them. |
"Once
they saw just how different the garden was they were amazed and since
then our profits have increased substantially. Now we have more
customers, visiting more often and most importantly, spending a lot
more money"
As much as
Andy reaps the benefits from the outdoor shelter during the day, he
is benefiting from almost an equal amount of business using it as a
special occasion function/dinner room in the evenings. Indeed this
winter should give him an even greater return on investment, as the
side canvasses come down and heaters are turned on to make this a
cosy outdoor getaway.
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Sitting under
the shade of the cool thatch roof, on what has just been announced as
the hottest July day on record, Andy concludes: "Even after
the novelty factor has worn off, we're still seeing customers walk
past a few other pubs on their way to get here. I think this was the
right decision."
Andy and
Caroline enjoying the benefits of their investment |
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