Al Fresco Dining & Outdoor Spaces

Transform your hospitality venue with versatile outdoor dining spaces that increase revenue potential whilst creating memorable customer experiences.

Description

MGI specialises in transforming underutilised external areas into profitable, year-round al fresco dining experiences for hospitality venues across the UK. Our comprehensive service guides you through every aspect of outdoor space development—from conceptual design and planning permissions to implementation and finishing touches. We combine practical operational considerations with aesthetic excellence, ensuring your outdoor space not only meets regulatory requirements but also enhances your brand identity and customer experience. Our designs carefully balance weather protection, comfort elements, and operational efficiency to maximise usage throughout changing seasons whilst integrating seamlessly with your existing service capabilities.

Understanding the post-pandemic shift towards outdoor dining as a consumer preference rather than necessity, we create distinctive spaces that give you a competitive edge. Our team navigates complex planning requirements, particularly for listed buildings or conservation areas, whilst advising on the most appropriate furniture, heating solutions, and weather protection systems to optimise your investment. Each design focuses on creating comfortable, atmospheric environments that encourage increased dwell time and higher customer spend.

Deliverables

• Feasibility Assessment – Detailed evaluation of your site’s potential for outdoor dining, including regulatory considerations, space optimisation, and operational impact analysis
• Planning Permission Support – Comprehensive assistance with pavement licensing, listed building consents, and local authority approvals, including preparation of all required documentation
• Design Concept Development – Bespoke designs incorporating your brand identity with practical elements like weather protection, heating, lighting, and planting schemes
• Technical Specifications – Detailed drawings and specifications for all elements including pergolas, awnings, screening options, furniture selections, and infrastructure requirements
• Implementation Management – End-to-end project coordination ensuring quality installation of all components whilst minimising disruption to ongoing operations
• Operational Integration Plan – Practical guidance on adapting service delivery, staffing requirements, and kitchen/bar operations to accommodate increased covers

Our Approach

What sets MGI apart is our holistic approach to al fresco dining spaces—we look beyond aesthetics to consider the complete operational picture. Unlike competitors who focus solely on structures or furniture, we analyse customer flow, service efficiency, and revenue maximisation opportunities whilst addressing practical challenges like acoustic management and seasonal adaptability. Our extensive hospitality industry experience allows us to create spaces that not only look impressive but function effectively, with particular attention to year-round usability through innovative heating, lighting, and weather protection solutions that comply with the latest sustainability standards and energy efficiency requirements.