Designing the facilities

You should by now have an idea of what you want and where you are likely to be able to put it. You will need to consider the following factors:

Protection from the weather: This usually means preventing customers from being caught in the rain, griddled by the sun, buffeted by the wind or frozen. This is partly resolved by the orientation of the facility (use a solid wall to protect the smokers from the prevailing wind if possible), and partly by equipping it with awnings, umbrellas, heaters etc.

Comfort: Your customers are used to being kept warm and dry – but they probably also expect to sit on comfortable seats in reasonably attractive surroundings. They will still want those when outside, and the greater the comfort, the more likely you are to keep them and attract others.

Entertainment: Depending on your strategy you may want to add entertainment – such as a widescreen TV or a music system. In Ireland these have proved to be a great success in some of the larger smoking facilities, attracting business from all around. Clearly any equipment must also be protected from the weather!

Security: The better your smoking facility, sadly, the greater the risk of vandalism or theft of some of the equipment. You could overcome this by moving equipment indoors at night, installing barrier security such as a security grille, or a mixture of the two. There is also the issue of personal security.

Litter: Cigarette litter is likely to become an increased problem with customers smoking outside. Not only is it unsightly, it can also lead to problems with the local authority and greater restrictions on your business. Fortunately there are a number of equipment solutions.

Safety: Disability laws as well as general issues of health and safety should be considered. For instance, can you make access easy for those in a wheelchair or who have difficulty walking? Your older customers will appreciate this as will families with children in buggies. Make floors non-slip and fire proof and fix heaters securely and at an appropriate height to prevent accidental burns or fires.

More information on the options available can be found in the equipment section.