One Shropshire company has tapped into that niche market, offering outdoor solutions to the new legislation which is already in place in Scotland.

Five years after starting up, Shading by Design is looking at a £1 million turnover and a market which is going to boom over the next few years.

What the ban means is that smoking will not be allowed in “enclosed” public spaces. And the Atcham-based company offers everything from giant parasols to bespoke designs featuring deckings and awnings for pubs, restaurants and venues as varied as London’s Victoria & Albert Museum and Oswestry restaurant Number 35.

The company was set up by directors Tony Reynolds, pictured, and his wife, Helen, from the front room of their home. Three years ago, they moved to a 130-square-metre base at Atcham industrial estate and now need a new site with double the space.

“We had no idea of the smoking ban when we set up so the demand was somewhat different. When we started we were struggling against people’s attitudes to outdoor eating, people didn’t think you could eat and drink outside in the winter, but actually it’s quite nice to do it.

“But what’s happened now is that people have a real need to do something and our advice is don’t just do a quick fix, look at your business from a strategic point of view and in doing that you not only solve a particular problem but come up with solutions which will help you grow your business and customer base.

“And while the smoking ban is a huge threat to many businesses, it can also be a seriously good opportunity. And because we’re business people first and last, that is our approach, rather than being awning producers or umbrella producers.”

Pub chain Scottish & Newcastle commissioned Shading by Design to survey its pubs to identify viability for an outdoor solution to the smoking ban.

“I have surveyed all the outlets and we’ve done installations at one or two. So even where there is a high degree of subsidy, the tenants are being very slow.

“I think partly because they are unsure of the legislation, partly because they can’t really believe that its going to happen and partly because even if it does happen, they don’t think it’ll affect them that much.

“The experience in Scotland has been that the landlord, tenant or owner that actually makes the decision to invest in his business will be the one that actually wins at the end of the day. Because while business is 10 per cent down overall in Scotland, in pubs where they have done something, it has made a difference.”

Gaining planning for outdoor installations of decking and awnings can be a minefield.

“It’s hard, it can take months. And even in the same planning organisations you can find different planning officers have different views and a different way of interpreting the rules.”

Mr Reynolds designs the areas and a German company supplies the products, which Shading By Design has also exported to Europe and the United States. The company also supplies the tables, chairs, outdoor heaters and other products needed for an outdoor area.

“A typical contract is around £20,000 to £30,000, although we did a job in Scotland for a hotel which was £75,000 and on the back of that they gave us a £55,000 conservatory to build as well.

“We can sell an awning or an umbrella for a couple of thousand pounds which is at the lower end, and we do repairs, maintenance, replace covers and we do the work ourselves.”

And although business could boom in the next few years as the smoking ban kicks in, the Reynolds have another plan for where they want to be in five years time.

“It was a killer to be told at 40 that I was unemployable because I was too old. I’m 57, and work as hard as I ever have. In five years time we want to sell up and retire, do something else with our lives.”

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