Hospitality, Leisure and Retail Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning – How Important Is It To Shoppers?

Making sure your hospitality, leisure and retail space is temperature controlled plays a vital role in attracting (and keeping) customers. It goes without saying that its important to make sure your customer is comfortable and has a good first impression. There‘s nothing worse than visiting a restaurant, gym or shop to find its either too hot or too cold. On the other hand, stepping into a warm space on a cold day; or a cool space on a hot day can make all the difference in how long a customer stays, buys or if they are likely to return for a second or third visit. It’s therefore worth considering a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to allow you to control the temperature. 

Is There A Best Temperature?

Hospitality, leisure, and retail spaces are just like any other workplaces which must follow UK law when it comes to working temperatures, with the added complication that you have a  number of “visitors” also occupying the space.

We know the minimum workplace temperature as defined by UK law is at least 16°C. In a workplace where rigorous physical effort is involved, the temperature should be at least 13°C.

There is no upper maximum temperature given however the Health and Safety Executive goes onto say that “these temperatures are not absolute legal requirements; the employer has a duty to determine what reasonable comfort will be in the particular circumstances.”

However, the best temperature will depend on the place, the function, and the outside temperature. In this case there’s no one size fits all. No one temperature will fit every situation and in each set of circumstances there will be specific challenges when it comes to heating and cooling.

Restaurant Temperature Control 

A restaurant’s temperature will have a significant impact on the dining experience. If it’s too cold customers will be uncomfortable and are unlikely to stick around to consume their meal. Too hot and it can be even more uncomfortable, stopping them from enjoying their meal. There’s also the food preparation area to take into account which will require a different temperature to the dining room.

Maintaining the right restaurant temperature is further complicated by other factors such as:

• The number of diners at any given time.
• The heat produced by the kitchen equipment and any other pieces of equipment within the dining space.
• Draughts caused by the opening and closing of any external doors bringing cold or heat into the dining space from outside.
• Individual customers will prefer different temperatures and may find a room too hot or too cold when others are comfortable.

Hotel Temperature Control

In the case of hotel air conditioning, we know one of the biggest bug bears of hotel guests is trying to control their hotel room temperature. Understandably, air conditioning is important to hotel guests as it determines whether their stay within their room and throughout the hotel will be comfortable. This is especially true when the outside weather is very cold or very hot. There’s nothing worse than shivering  or sweltering in your room without any way to adjust the temperature to make you more comfortable.

Maintaining a hotel’s temperature can be complicated due to a number of factors including:

• High volumes of guests coming and going.
• Large scale events, meetings or conferences will mean higher demand for temperature control.
• Late bookings or events may mean sudden increases in demand.
• Different guests like different room temperatures.
• There are various areas throughout a hotel which require different temperature control e.g., the reception area, the restaurant or breakfast area, the kitchen, individual guest rooms, conference areas, swimming pool and gym etc.
• Entrance and exit doors which may let in the cold or heat from outside.
• Heat generating equipment and lighting.

Leisure Temperature Control

Gyms are a good example of the leisure industry where regulating temperature is important in order to create a comfortable place where people can exercise.

Temperature and humidity impacts exercising in different ways. Too high a room temperature when people are exercising can lead to dehydration and over-heating. High temperatures can also negatively impact endurance, leading to fatigue and performance loss. High humidity can make it very difficult to cool down as sweat is prevented from being released. Lower (but comfortable) temperatures can improve workout length, as the heart doesn’t need to work as hard to maintain a safe body temperature. This can lead to increased endurance.

The challenge in maintaining the right temperature within the leisure industry include:

• Exercise equipment can generate heat.
• The number of people exercising, especially in fitness classes and throughout the gym can impact the temperature.
• A sauna or sweat room can release heat.
• Swimming pool areas and changing rooms require different temperature levels.

Retail Temperature Control

In the retail sector, it’s important to ensure your shop temperature is comfortable for your customers. Temperature impacts how long a customer is likely to stay in your store. If your customer is comfortable, they are far more likely to spend time browsing and are more likely to purchase.

Just as with hospitality and leisure, retail premises have challenges to overcome when it comes to maintaining the right temperature including:

• The equipment being used within the space, which may itself be generating heat.
• Lighting, which can also generate heat.
• High number of people moving throughout the store.
• Opening and closing of entrances and exits.
• Temperature comparison as people move between different stores and facilities such as restaurants, other shops etc.

Does My Hospitality, Leisure of Retail Premises Need Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning?

Whether you decide to invest in an HVAC system will depend on your individual circumstances. It’s clear that having heating, ventilation and air conditioning brings with it many benefits and may be what sets you apart from your competitors. Being able to control the temperature should enable you to provide a comfortable environment for your customers which will keep them coming back again and again.

Synecore, M&E Contractors For Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning

Synecore are M&E contractors and approved installers of the industry’s leading air conditioning.

Working for clients across Kent, London, and the rest of the UK, we supply top of the range hearing, ventilation and air conditioning brand names, including Daikin, Toshiba and Mitsubishi to office developments, hotels, restaurants, retail, and large commercial premises. Whether you require single split systems or large multi VRV/VRF air conditioning systems, we will provide you with a sustainable and long-lasting cooling and heating solution.

If you’re looking to install new air conditioning or commercial refrigeration or to setup a maintenance contract, contact our team or call on 01795 509 509. We’ll talk you through your options and provide you with expert advice for your business.