DURING THE COVID19 pandemic, meeting indoors was neither allowed nor encouraged in the UK. Eventually, restaurants, cafés, and pubs began providing outdoor seating areas – something that was relatively rare before the pandemic.

Long after the worst of the pandemic was over, people continued to drink and eat outdoors, even in bad weather. Many hospitality establishments offer facilities for customers to eat and drink ‘alfresco’.

For example, since the pandemic years, a local pub, The Mall Tavern, in Notting Hill Gate has been occupying a bit of the road and pavement outside it, and has been placing benches and tables there.

They are still in place and very popular with customers.