Weather no bar for customers
31 July 2023
We spoke to Shaun from the Beach Bar in Sumner, Christchurch, just as torrential rain hit. It was the perfect weather to reinforce why Shaun installed a Johnson & Couzins SkyLouvre.
“It’s really coming down today which is giving the new SkyLouvres a good run for their money,” says Shaun.
The Beach Bar offers stunning views down the eastern coast of the South Island – on a good day you can see north to Brighton and beyond and west to the Alps. The problem was, in poor weather, customers had to stay inside.
“We have an enviable location for a bar, right here on the beach close to the water. People come here because they want the beach vibes and the view, which they can’t get if they’re sheltering indoors.
“We knew to get the best out of the outside area we needed protection from the sun, wind, and sand. I knew from previous experience how much of a difference SkyLouvres make, so I got in touch with J&C to organise a measure up,” Beach Bar owner Shaun Halliwell says.
Shaun has a 14-year working relationship with J&C across multiple venues, which is testament to J&C’s strong customer relationships and the quality of their products.
“On this site there were a few engineering challenges that cropped up and J&C were fantastic at sorting that out and coming up with a solid solution. The SkyLouvres have various settings so we can open them fully, or open them partially, tilted to suit the direction of the wind or sun.”
And it’s making a difference for the business already.
“We are certainly getting more people sitting outside in the open areas since installing SkyLouvres. Just last night it was blowing a nor-wester and we had six or seven tables out here, when beforehand we’d get none at all.”
With several staff working at the Beach Bar, Shaun also needed to be sure the SkyLouvres were easy to use.
“The SkyLouvres are fully mechanised, so they are simple to use with a remote control and the motor is very discreet.
“We are very happy. We are now set up for all weathers and people can appreciate the views as well as our amazing food and beverages,” he says.