Maximising the potential of a site with a sheltered picnic area

The brief

Drayton Manor attracts large school and family groups throughout the year and so the team at the park was keen to enhance its dining offering, creating a sheltered picnic area.

The response

We created a large single span timber canopy to transform this previously under-utilised area into a truly year-round dining space.

With connection to the outside a must, the elegant barrel-vaulted roof of this dining canopy was covered in our exclusive Opal 60 fabric to allow 60% natural light penetration. This not only floods the area with natural light to create an inviting space, but also helps conserve energy use and costs by reducing the need to light the area with artificial light. The Opal 60 fabric also provides inbuilt UV protection – a must in any family park.

The gabled end areas provide the park with prominent new branding opportunities, while detachable side panels provide additional protection for this sheltered picnic area during the more unpredictable spring and autumn seasons.

The wow

The huge indoor/outdoor dining canopy has been a hit since day one – transforming an under-utilised area of the park into one of its most popular spaces.

“We have seen a 20% increase in sales in the area where the canopy was erected. The area is a now a hive of activity in all weathers. The canopy has completely rejuvenated this area of the park. It really does have the wow factor.”
Mark Tierney, General Manager, Drayton Manor Park

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