Six reasons to embrace all-weather outdoor dining on your school site

In recent years we’ve embraced outdoor dining as a nation – following the continental way of life and eating outside whenever the sun allows. And it’s easy to see why, because the habit comes with multiple benefits that can also enhance daily school life.

Across the country many schools have already benefitted from outdoor school dining canopies that create all-weather dining spaces that deliver multiple – often unforeseen benefits.

Six benefits of all-weather al fresco dining

1. Outdoor dining offers an invigorating change of scene: The school day can easily become monotonous when you’re spending all day inside similar classrooms. Having an outdoor dining space to enjoy helps to break the day up and reinvigorates young minds for an afternoon of learning
2. Connection with nature benefits mental health: We’ve all experienced the rejuvenating impact of being outdoors. Enabling students to connect more easily with nature during their break times – under an all-weather dining canopy – is an important way of promoting balance in their day and positive mental health routines
3. Creating a focal point for your site: The schools we’ve worked with to create outdoor dining spaces have all commented on how quickly these spaces become much-loved congregating points on their school site
4. Promoting positive social connections: Creating spaces that are attractive and inviting rather than purely functional encourages students and teachers to relax and enjoy each other’s company at break times – helping to promote a cohesive, happy school community
5. New multi-purpose spaces: We all know that space is often at a premium on school sites. Our all-weather dining solutions create valuable new spaces that can also be used for outdoor learning, after school clubs, sports briefings and social get togethers
6. Exciting new revenue potential: With fewer and fewer community gathering spaces available, all-weather outdoor dining spaces can be rented out to local groups to forge deeper connections with the community or to create valuable new revenue earning opportunities

Feeling inspired? Why not check out a few of our latest all-weather dining canopies and outdoor dining solutions for schools:

• Manor Drive Secondary Academy – an expansive 15m x 23m school dining canopy that has created a much loved new al-fresco dining, learning and socialising space at a large secondary school in Peterborough
• Arthur Mellows Village College in Peterborough a barrel-vaulted timber canopy that protects the school’s courtyard area while retaining its special outdoor feel to create a much-loved new socialising space for the school’s sixth form students
• Inverness Royal Academy an expansive 25m x 8m canopy that offers year-round protection from rain, snow, wind and UV rays while allowing natural light for a bright airy outdoor dining experience

If you want to make your al fresco dining vision a reality, get in touch with our expert team today. They can arrange a complimentary site visit so that you can be walked through all the options, considerations and possibilities.

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