Festivals are a vibrant celebration of music, art, and culture, but one thing that remains unpredictable at these events is the weather. For businesses like Tom The Shop, which travels across the UK to various festivals and events, operating under diverse weather conditions is a part of daily life. Selling everything from drinks and food to hygiene products and festival essentials, Tom The Shop had been facing difficulties with limited space. The team needed a more practical and efficient solution to extend their shop’s capacity and allow their festival goers to shop comfortably, regardless of the weather.
The Challenge: Expanding Sales Space in Unpredictable Weather
Like many mobile shops, Tom The Shop relies on a trailer that serves as its base. With a limited amount of covered space, Tom The Shop often found it difficult to accommodate more customers, particularly when the weather turned wet. It was clear they needed to create additional sheltered space to protect both staff and stock from the elements.
Tom The Shop reached out to The Awning Company for a solution. After discussing their needs, they didn’t just choose one Awning, but two custom Awnings to extend their shop's functionality, allowing them to maximise their sales space and adapt to varying festival layouts and weather conditions.
The Solution: Two Bespoke Awnings Tailored to Tom The Shop
After carefully considering Tom The Shop’s needs, we designed and manufactured two custom-made Awnings at our factory in Bolton, Lancashire. We created both Awnings specifically for the trailer, ensuring a perfect fit and allowing Tom The Shop to make full use of the trailer's footprint.
1. GH Frontier Awning (3.5m x 3.0m) On one side of the trailer, we installed a 3.5m x 3.0m GH Frontier Awning. The roof and side sheets were fully printed with Tom The Shop’s branding, making the shop visually striking and ensuring it stood out amidst the hustle and bustle of the festival environment. The vibrant branding not only enhanced the aesthetic appeal of the shop but also helped customers easily locate it in crowded festival grounds.
2. Modular Awning (6.0m x 5.3m) On the opposite side of the trailer, we installed a larger, more versatile Modular Awning, measuring 6.0m x 5.3m. The beauty of this modular design is its flexibility – it can either be fully set up to create a spacious walk-around shop or adjusted with a smaller projection for a more compact, sheltered stand. This feature allows Tom The Shop to adapt to the requirements of each event, whether they need more floor space for customers to browse or a sheltered, cosy area for a more intimate shopping experience. Like the GH Frontier Awning, the modular awning also featured Tom The Shop’s branding on fully printed side sheets, further enhancing the shop’s visibility and brand recognition at festivals.
The Awnings were designed not only to create more space but also to protect Tom The Shop’s staff and stock. Festival weather is notoriously unpredictable – rain one moment and bright sunshine the next. Our bespoke awnings ensure that no matter the weather, Tom The Shop’s team can operate comfortably, and the stock remains protected.
Bespoke Manufacturing: Made in Britain, Made to Last
Both Awnings were manufactured in our Made in Britain factory, and they were crafted to meet the exact specifications required for Tom The Shop’s trailer. At The Awning Company, we take pride in offering a fully bespoke service, meaning that every product is tailored to the customer’s unique needs. By manufacturing our products in-house in Lancashire, we can ensure the highest quality standards while offering quicker lead times. This ability to create truly custom solutions is what sets us apart and enables businesses like Tom The Shop to thrive in challenging environments.
The Result: A More Functional, Adaptable, and Eye-Catching Shop
The result of this collaboration was transformative for Tom The Shop. With two bespoke Awnings, the mobile shop now has the flexibility to adapt to any festival setting, whether they need more space to accommodate larger crowds or prefer a smaller, more intimate layout. The shop’s bold branding, now displayed prominently on the Awnings, helps draw in customers and enhances its visibility at festivals, ensuring it stands out even in the most crowded spaces.
Moreover, the added protection from the elements has made life easier for the staff, allowing them to focus on providing excellent customer service without worrying about the weather. Stock is always sheltered, and customers can browse comfortably, rain or shine.
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