Comfort key in pub design

Design director Sally Anne McCoy set up Edwards McCoy and has worked with businesses including Stonegate, Strong Arm Hospitality, Cirque Le Soir and The Cream Group, which she recently worked with to design House Party in Soho​.

Delegates at The Morning Advertiser​’s MA Leaders conference in Oxford this month (Wednesday 2 October) heard how they can create the wow-factor when it comes to design.

McCoy said: “It’s so important to show your customer how amazing your venue is. There are so many pubs in a high street, in a village and it’s so important to draw people in.”

She went on to outline how guests are looking for more from a venue when eating and drinking out.

Experience focus

“It’s a lot of experiences now with places, you have to have a story, an experience. When people want to go to a venue, I’m creating this experience. Companies do really need to put that experience in their design,” McCoy added.

Having a huge budget isn’t necessary as design can include second hand furniture in a bid to ensure a venue has character, she revealed.

“People need to feel comfortable, cosy. You need to feel like you’re cuddled when you sit in these venues,” the interior designer added.

“It does not need to cost the earth to make it cosy but it does help to have a good eye to run over and make sure you get it right. I don’t see there is a place for a minimalist pub.”

In fact, comfort should be key when considering pub design rather than focusing on specific trends, McCoy advised.

Longevity importance

She said: “I don’t think necessary pubs should be too trendy, they should be interesting and comfortable.

“Comfort [is something] many people forget about, you just want sit in a comfy chair in a warm space.

“When I walk into a place I always think where do I want to sit, is the flooring nice, is it noisy, it’s all those things, it’s not necessarily about trends but whatever we do to our venues, they last a long time.

“We don’t want to keep spending money and reinventing, it’s more about longevity.”