With summer on the horizon, and pubs moving towards indoor s

It's rare for a licensee to have 16-acres of land to play with. But for Paul Brady, who found himself in exactly that position at the Cheshire Cat in Chester, the opportunity gave him the chance to set up the ultimate pub garden ­ a nature reserve, complete with a pond that's home to many endangered species.

"The customers think it is fantastic," says Brady. "Loads of customers come to see the grounds and the gardens. We have outdoor seating and patio heaters."

The pub has picked up a stack of awards for the unusual feature and was crowned the best pub in Chester in 2003 as well as winning the Chester in Bloom competition.

But licensees with less space can still find ways to spruce up unused areas to bring in extra trade.

And the incentive to do so has never been more compelling.

Hoping for a scorcher

After a disappointing summer last year, the industry is hoping for a scorcher and the logic for having an all-singing, all-dancing outdoor space to accompany the hot weather is obvious.

Casting our minds back two years to 2003, it was the pubs with attractive gardens that benefited the most from the sizzling temperatures.

During what was described by researchers as Europe's hottest summer, demand for beer was so high that some brewers had to import extra stock to keep up with demand, with Carlsberg, for one, reporting a sales increase of 40% for the seven-week period leading into August.

Country pubs were the biggest winners then ­ a trend that will undoubtedly con-tinue this year, if the sun remembers to put in an appearance.

But that's not to say that town-centre pubs should throw in the towel when it comes to trying to woo customers wanting to sip a few drinks outside.

But if they are going to persuade drinkers to stay in high-street pubs, licensees need to get ahead of the game when it comes to planning the perfect relaxing outside spot.

In a few week's time, the UK should be seeing the early signs of summer and, by May, customers' thoughts will be turning to the first barbecue of the year ­ why not make sure it takes place at your pub?

Keep ahead of the pack

Looking beyond this summer, the looming ban on smoking, which will outlaw consumers from lighting up in pubs where food is served, will completely reinvent the role of the garden and pubs' outside space.

For dry-led pubs, the Government's plans leave them with no choice but to revamp their gardens, and many gastro pubs have already carried out extensive work to make sure they are ahead of the pack.

In Ireland, where licensees across the industry have experienced a drop in business of up to 20% since the smoking ban was enforced, builders and landscape gardeners have been the biggest winners.

In a move that is sure to migrate across the Irish Sea, the trade has seen a massive boom in beer gardens as drinkers opt for the pubs offering the best facilities to smokers.

The message is clear ­ pubs need to get creative when it comes to developing their outdoor areas or they could find themselves struggling in the long term.