From Cats to Board Games: Themed Venues Can Boost Business

There’s no doubt that the UK hospitality sector has taken a few hits in recent years. First we had the Covid pandemic with all the associated lockdowns and hygiene rules. Now it’s the cost of living crisis, with reduced consumer spending and staff shortages. Being able to attract customers to your venue and keep them entertained has become the holy grail.

Venues have always looked at how to offer customers more than simply a food and drinks menu. Theme nights are always popular, as are open kitchens where you can watch your meals be prepared and cooked. And more attention has been paid to interior design and the general ambience being offered.

But in the early 2000s venues started to appear with highly specific themes offering niche experiences. We’ve been intrigued to see the rise of themed cafes, restaurants and bars really take off over the past few years. There’s a wide variety of experiences on offer – from immersive dining experiences, to cat and cafes and bars offering board and computer games.

Maybe this combination of dining and socialising is a sustainable way to keep customers coming back for more?

Cat Cafe Culture

Since the very first cat cafe opened in Taiwan in 1998, there has been an explosion of cat, dog, rabbit and other animal-themed cafes around the world. Japan currently has the most cat cafes of any country – believed to be around 150.

Obviously it’s not a concept that can be taken on by everyone who runs a cafe or restaurant. There’s quite a lot of work associated with the care and welfare of both animals and human customers to consider. But the interest in these themed venues seems pretty constant.

The first cat cafe to open in the UK was Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium in London in 2014 and it is still going strong. The cafe offers customers the chance to de-stress with a cup of coffee and a cuddle with a friendly rescue cat.

Pop-up dog cafes

And it’s not just cat lovers that can indulge their need for a therapeutic session with a live animal. Since cat cafes burst on the scene we’ve seen dog cafes spring up across the UK too.

And for venues that don’t want to become a full-time dog cafe, or bar, there’s a half-way solution: they can host a pop-up themed event. A company called Pup Up Cafe can bring a host of cute canines to your venue to attract the dog lovers in your town or city.  Throughout November and December 2022 the Pup Up Cafe will be visiting venues in the UK with their Dachshund Christmas Tour.

Photo credit: Londonist.com/Pupup.cafe

Just as pop-up stores are helping to revitalise the UK’s high streets, maybe pop-up themes can provide an extra revenue stream for hospitality venues.

Immersive drinking and dining experiences

Immersive dining experience Murder Express. Photo credit: DesignMyNight.com

The pop-up model is also widely used in the restaurant sector, particularly in providing customers with truly immersive dining experiences. Pop-ups allow venue owners to experiment with various concepts without having to take a huge financial risk.

The variations are seemingly endless. Two current examples from London include: solving mysteries on the Murder Express and smuggling bootleg liquor into Alcotraz: Cell Block Two-One-Two. In Manchester you can visit Neverland – an immersive Peter Pan-inspired bar and indulge in a sing-along at an ABBA Immersive Musical Brunch.

Most cities and towns across the UK will be offering similar experiences, especially over the festive period.

The World of Gaming

The huge interest in computer games and in particular eSports was the impetus for the first gaming cafes and bars to set up. Meltdown in London was the first eSports bar to open in the UK in 2014 and has been followed by many more. Gamers like to hang out with other gamers to both play and watch multiplayer games.

Then there’s the interest in retro video games and the rise of arcade bars offering access to nostalgic, old-school games but with a modern twist.

Playing board games has also become wildly popular as a social activity – perhaps as a means to reduce screen time. And there are many successful chains and independent cafes and bars offering great board game experiences.

How we can help

Over the past year or so Warner Contracts Limited has helped provide commercial furniture for several of these niche-themed venues. From our point of view, specifying and supplying contract furniture for themed cafes, bars and restaurants is similar to how we work for standard venues. We like to understand your business and customers so we can help guide you to make the best choices for your chairs, tables and other fittings.

You can chat to our highly experienced and friendly sales team about your specific requirements. It’s easy to order direct from our website, which features a huge range of commercial furniture.

If you’re looking for a more customised solution then our great range of bespoke contract furniture should be of interest.

Quick delivery

Most of our stock is sourced within the UK, so our standard delivery time is just 3-5 working days. We can also arrange an express delivery in just 24 hours for an extra fee. Bespoke goods can take between 2 and 8 weeks to deliver. Contact us on 0161 408 2390 or email us for a quote at [email protected].