Raise the Bar: 8 Pub Decor Ideas

We don’t need any statistics to tell us that there’s no hospitality business Brits love more than the pub. 

Historically, with a focus on community, camaraderie and, of course, a copious amount of alcohol, the customers that grace these venues are the least concerned about drinking in their surroundings.

However, since covid restrictions saw most public houses close their doors for a number of months, the pub experience has changed entirely as they reopen. 

With new features like paperless ordering and table service, pub culture has changed dramatically over the last year, and so, as a pub owner, it's important you keep your decor up to date to meet these demands.

Read our list of English and Irish pub decoration ideas to help you improve your public house and keep profits pouring.

Sustainable style

Sustainability isn’t commonly associated with pubs. However, incorporating it into your decor can actually help keep your establishment around for years to come.

Post-pandemic, and with our planet in an increasing state of crisis, while people have been exploring what they can do individually for the environment they are now considering their company choices. Consumers are now looking toward businesses that are actively imparting sustainable practices, and supporting them over those that aren’t.

Decorating your pub with sustainable material, such as bamboo, cork or recycled plastic can help keep the pub looking stylish and modern while also helping reduce your environmental impact. 

Using these natural/recycled materials, as well as upcycling some of your old pub furniture is excellent for your pocket as well as the environment - so you can literally afford to have champagne taste on a beer budget.

Go green

After periods of isolation, and coming to realise the importance of including them in and around our spaces - plants have started to take precedence as the home accessory of choice for many of us in the UK, with sales increasing by as much as 500% for plant retailers like Patch, during lockdown last year [1].

While pubgoers are usually more concerned with Peroni than palm trees, since they're excellent for mental health and are clearly a firm favourite with the British public, plants are a great new decor idea to incorporate into your pub’s design.

Extending home decor trends into these hospitality spaces can be transformative. A splash of greenery can help make your pub look bright and welcoming, giving it an outdoorsy feel. Pots of cacti are popular at the moment, as well as other succulents, which are both easy to care for and friendly-looking.

Even if it’s just a small potted plant on each table - not only will this make your pub more aesthetically pleasing, but it will also help improve the air quality, which in times like these, is the number one priority [2].

Rustic charm

If one good thing’s come out of being forced to stay at home, it’s home bars… 2.7 million of them to be precise [3]. While these temporary taprooms might be good for consumers, they present a challenge for pub owners, to bring this sense of home into the business. Since many pubgoers can just grace their back garden for a beverage, drawing them out for a drink can be difficult.

So, for owners looking to elevate the traditional English pub feel with some home comforts, rustic or ‘shabby chic’ is an English pub decor style that never dies.

Adding in some rustic elements is a great way to make your pub stand out from the competition, while still keeping that homely feel that Brits love so much. Wooden floors, exposed brick walls, and lots of cosy pub touches like vintage light fixtures, tartan blankets and country-style furniture, are all easy ways to add some rustic charm to your pub.

And if you’re not too confident in your DIY skills, don’t worry - there are plenty of companies that offer pub decorating services, so you can get all the help you need to transform your pub into a rustic paradise.

Technology takeover

As we mentioned earlier, with pubs being reopened after covid restrictions, pub culture has been completely overhauled as these venues are forced to adapt and evolve.

Naturally, tech is at the forefront of this pub evolution - with table service now being mandatory in many areas for instance.

Get ahead of the curve by incorporating tech into your pub’s decorating scheme; this can be anything from QR codes that link to the drinks menu to interactive digital screens that show live sport or music videos.

Just be sure not to go too overboard - after all, the pub is still about getting together with friends and enjoying a good old fashioned conversation (even if it is over Whatsapp).

Homage to the holidays

If you own a traditional English or Irish pub, you'll know public holidays take precedence over everything.

What better way to show your love for these holidays and attract customers than by decorating your pub in honour of them?

For St. Patrick’s Day, go all out with green decorations and shamrocks everywhere, or for Christmas, deck the halls with festive cheer - complete with a real (or fake) tree. 

Minimal effort

One of our simpler ideas, minimalism makes for one of the most popular pub decor trends, and with good reason. Simplicity is key when it comes to your pub’s interior design, as it helps keep the focus on what’s important - the drinks and the company. 

This doesn’t mean your venue has to be completely devoid of decoration though; a few well-placed pieces can really help elevate the space.

Think sleek modern lines, monochrome colour schemes and an abundance of natural light. If your pub is lacking in this department though - don’t worry! You can always make use of a few mirrors to help reflect the light around the room, which is perfect for pint-sized pubs.

It’s easy to stay measured with minimalist pub interiors, so if you’re new to pub ownership, or simply want a simple look that can easily be changed over time, this is definitely the way to go.

Timber land

A staple of both English and Irish pubs, our list woodn't be complete without this dependable decor idea. Wood is an English and Irish pub classic, and there are many ways to use it (past the whiskey). From panelling walls to installing flooring, it's a great way to add some natural texture and warmth to your pub, and can be used in combination with other materials like brick or tile for a really cosy feel that pubgoers go for. 

You could use reclaimed wood to make pub tables or even add old barrels for seating, as well as wooden signs to improve your establishment’s exterior. These changes, although small, can lead to a much larger increase in footfall -  seeing only good coming out of the woodwork for your business.

Drink up

If there’s anyone that loves a drink more than the English, it’s the Irish, and this decor idea is all about the drink.

Suited best for the man cave qualities of traditional Irish pubs - using drinks as a decor feature (lining the walls with decorative Irish beers or Irish whiskey for instance) displays what great options you have available to pubgoers while making for a great customer experience.

You could opt to have the drinks hanging from racks on the wall or even just in glass cabinets - whatever works best with your pub’s theme. No matter what design ideas you decide to go with, make sure that they reflect the personality of your pub and its patrons. After all, it’s the small touches like this that will really set your pub apart from the rest.

Have help on tap with an award-winning EPOS system 

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Receive detailed analysis on the areas that matter to your business:

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• Access multi-award-winning inventory management systems that sync online sales and in-person sales for the most up-to-date stock levels
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• Table management and booking system integrations available for an optimised service

If you’d like to learn more about our industry-leading software, request a free callback with one of our experts.

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