As pubs enter a new smoke-free era we are inevitably going to see a significant shift in the way they are used and as a result, designed.
One company that has already been capitalising on this phenomena for the past decade or so is Geronimo Inns - the pubco set up by former champagne bigwig Rupert Clevely.
Part of the group's ethos is to tailor each outlet to the locality and offer a female and family-friendly environment.
And this is clearly evident at Geronimo's latest venture: the Bullfinch in Riverhead, an affluent village in Sevenoaks, Kent.
Previously a spit and sawdust Spirit-owned country carvery, the smoke-free Bullfinch is a classic example of the way many pubs are going to have to take on a new identity now the ban has arrived.
After buying the pub in February this year, Geronimo immediately closed it down and set to work on an £800,000 refurbishment.
The kitchen was given a major overhaul and is now open plan; a real fireplace was installed (a trademark Geronimo Inns touch); a spacious dedicated dining area was introduced and the previously unused garden now features a decked terrace, barbecue facilities and seating for up to 50 covers.
In short, the place is unrecognisable from its previous incarnation.
Customer surprise
So much so, that according to co-manager Karen Jordan it has taken pre-makeover regulars a little by surprise.
"It's interesting to watch people's faces for the first time when they walk in," she says. "They can't believe the transformation."
Karen and her husband Steve, who have been in the trade for 14 years, are clearly relishing the challenge of this new venture.
Word is spreading in the village of the new look and approach and has so far ensured a constant flow of customers, partly attracted by a high-quality food and drink offering.
"The thing about our dining area is that because it's spread out, it doesn't feel like we're trying to cram people in and they appreciate that," explains Steve, a former chef on a Royal Navy submarine.
Aside from the dining area the pub has two other distinct offers. One is a front-room-style area where people would feel comfortable relaxing with a tea or a coffee; but there is also plenty of space so people can stand at the bar and enjoy a drink.
Design guru
As with previous outlets, spearheading the design has been Clevely's wife Joanna.
There were no real grand plans and the design happened fairly organically, she explains. "The project just kind of evolved as the weeks went by," she says. "We knew we wanted to open the pub up and make the space flow a bit."
An interesting feature is the collage of rock and pop stars, past and present, outside the toilets.
Joanna says: "We just like to do things a bit differently and it gives customers something to talk about."
However, there are two recurring themes when it comes to re-designing a pub.
She says: "The questions we always ask ourselves are: how much will it cost and how much beer are we going to sell?"
And it appears that Geronimo has again tapped into a demand in an area that maybe didn't know it needed it. On a fairly murky Thursday afternoon the place is bustling with ladies-who-lunch with children and a good smattering of male and female drinkers.
These types of pubs may not be to everyone's liking - partly because they do not feel like a 'traditional' inn.
But clearly, as the fug clears on the smoke-free era, capitalising on a new type of customer and re-thinking the design of your pub to incorporate them will be the way forward.