Why a bit of sunshine could brighten the bottom line for businesses

Project Work and Other Clients Press releases

Sizzling summerRob Reeley is Director of Unchained Restaurants which owns the Goblin Ha’ in Gifford, the Golf Inn Hotel in Gullane and Nachos Fiesta in Edinburgh.

He was asked to write a column for the Evening News in Edinburgh about the lift enjoyed by local businesses during a spell of warm and dry summer weather. Holyrood PR helped him come up with this:

We normally don’t have much luck with our Scottish weather.

But finally we do seem – after what feels to have been several years of gloomy summers – to have the summertime we’ve all be longing for.

Let’s be honest, we all love a bit of sunshine. But what the tempting glimpses of summer of late have shown us is that sunny days are also very good for local businesses. And that’s something we all should be happy about.

In simple terms, as soon as the sun comes out, it tempts many of us to go outside.

From trips to Portobello beach, to coastal runs to Gullane and North Berwick to garden barbeques, there’s nothing like a spot of sunshine to help us all enjoy the tourist destinations right under our noses.

Alfresco

That’s a great boost for the many businesses in Edinburgh and the Lothians, most of them small or sole traders, who have continued to trade successfully despite combination of the economic downturn and the awful summer weather that has blighted Scotland over the past few years.

An upturn in business means more supplies are ordered from other local businesses, more staff get hired, or part-time staff work more hours , allowing them to spend more in the local economy – and so the circle of benefits continues.

One small example to illustrate this is the surge in alfresco dining, an activity usually associated with an expensive holiday on the Med but which is now back on the agenda for many.

Our businesses at Goblin Ha’ in Gifford and The Golf Inn in Gullane, are already up almost a third, with diners taking advantage of our outdoor spaces.

That’s mainly down to an upturn in visitors coming from Edinburgh and beyond returning to a more nostalgic ‘let’s go out for a drive’ culture in the long summer evenings and weekends.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to see such a surge in commerce, but I appreciate it’s too easy for local businesses to rely solely on the weather.

Knowing Scotland, it could all be a distant memory as you get out the brollies the very next day

So I believe the business community itself needs to think more about the consumer experience to ensure the customer is happy at all times – with good food and great service – and keeps returning when the good weather fades

But in the meantime, let’s everyone embrace the summer. And if you do head out to enjoy a lazy day at the beach or an evening meal; just think of the value you’ll be bringing to help local businesses get back on their feet.