5 ways that retractable awnings can help you adapt to autumn weather

It might not be everyone’s top favourite of the seasons, but there’s still lots to love about autumn – from the distinctive red-gold of falling leaves, to the snuggling into warmer jumpers as the chill sets in. Outside the home though, the somewhat unpredictable weather can be a bit of a burden if you run a commercial businesses with an outdoor spaces – such as a pop-up cafés, restaurant, pub, or retail business.

Thankfully, retractable awnings can offer a useful practical solution, helping you keep outdoor areas usable and appealing to customers. And with decades of experience behind us in manufacturing and supplying these awnings for a comprehensive range of industries here at the Awning Company, you can trust us to know about all the many and varied ways they can benefit you as the autumn sets in.

Commercial awnings protect outdoor spaces from rain

Let’s start with the most obvious one! Autumn often brings sudden rain showers that can disrupt your business’s outdoor operations. Retractable awnings offer a versatile solution, allowing you to shield outdoor seating or display areas from unexpected downpours. With a retractable awning, you can easily extend it when the sky starts to cloud over, ensuring your customers stay dry and comfortable.

What’s more, retractable awnings help maintain the usability of outdoor areas even during extended periods of rain. This not only protects your furniture and products, but also minimises the risk of damage to electrical equipment or promotional displays. Plus, keeping your outdoor space dry can help to reduce maintenance costs (cleaning, for example) and ensures that it remains inviting and functional for customers.

Awnings provide extra wind resistance to keep you and customers comfortable

Autumn winds can be particularly challenging for outdoor spaces. If you’re operating a business with exposed outdoor areas, strong gusts can make your space uncomfortable for customers. And if they’re holding drinks or browsing some particularly light merchandise (such as postcards or handmade art), these can be vulnerable to blowing away. Retractable awnings are designed with wind-resistant features, helping to create a more sheltered and pleasant environment.

These awnings also protect your outdoor assets from wind damage. With features like reinforced frames and stabilising mechanisms, they reduce the impact of high winds on your furniture and displays. This durability helps maintain a neat and welcoming appearance, so that you can ensure your outdoor area remains attractive even during blustery conditions.

They help maintain warmth outdoors

As temperatures drop, outdoor spaces can become too cold for customers to enjoy. Retractable awnings help address this issue by creating a more insulated environment. When (carefully) combined with outdoor heaters or similar measures, the awning helps to trap warmth underneath, making your outdoor area more comfortable on cooler days and evenings. It almost goes without saying that cultivating a warmer outdoor environment can extend the time your customers spend on your premises, which can increase revenue and repeat business. All fairly straightforward!

They preserve natural light during shorter days

With daylight hours shrinking in autumn, it’s crucial to make the most of available natural light. Retractable awnings give you the flexibility to adjust how much light enters your space. On bright days, you can retract the awning to allow sunlight to brighten your outdoor and indoor areas, creating a more inviting atmosphere.

Adjusting the awning also helps in managing glare and improving visibility for customers and staff. On overcast days, the awning can be extended to optimise the light levels and reduce the need for artificial lighting. This control over natural light not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of your space, but in some cases, it can even contribute to energy efficiency by minimising your reliance on indoor lighting.

They extend the use of outdoor spaces for your business

Now, this is tied very closely into all the previous points. Outdoor areas are valuable assets for any business, especially if you’re in the hospitality sector. Having the ability to protect that space from unfavourable weather means that you’re not limited to simply keeping it aside for summer weather – instead, you can now use it all year round. That opens up all kinds of possibilities for using yours throughout the year; from dining to live events, performance spaces, or a place to host classes and workshops from outside organisations. It’s all up to you!

And of course, if you’re ever looking for the best commercial awning for your own business, you’re already in exactly the right place. Here at the Awning Company, Motorsports, mobile tech and pop-up cafés comprise just a couple of our key sectors, and we have a long history of delivering flawless solutions for our customers across the North West. Feel free to take a look at our bespoke GH Awnings to see what we can do for you – and if you have any questions or need any advice, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 01204 544 900, and we’ll be happy to help in any way we can!