Dining Area Canopies

Featured Dining Area Canopy Project

Our Lady’s RC High School in Manchester add Large Outdoor Dining Canopy

What was the project brief?

Our Lady’s RC High School in Blackley, Manchester recognise the key part a comfortable environment plays for the well-being of their students. While a large amount of a child’s school day is usually spent within the confines of the classroom, the school wanted to ensure that their students had access to outdoor space in their breaks – all year round. It was important to Our Lady’s RC High School that the children were able to appreciate the fresh air, while also enjoying a good dining experience.

They realised that the best way to achieve this was to transform their unused outdoor space, into an outdoor covered dining area – complete with all the dining facilities such as tables, chairs and rubbish bins. As the school canopy expert, A&S Landscape was called in to help them with the entire process. This meant discussing the wide range of canopies on offer, how the canopy could be designed to better suit their needs, and once the school were happy – the manufacturer and design. 

What was our outdoor dining canopy solution?

The school canopy that was selected as the best solution was the Motiva Duo™. Measuring at 12000mm x 8000mm, this was to be a large dining area canopy. The Motiva Duo™ has a genuine polycarbonate roof, and a Dura-coat™ finish, offering excellent quality weather protection at all times of the year. The addition of side panels formed an enclosed area and created the much-loved outside eating area for the students of Our Lady’s RC High School.

What was the result of outdoor dining canopy?

The new dining area canopy has gone down a treat with the children, who are happy they can now enjoy the large outdoor dining area – eating outside and socialising with their friends. The staff and teachers are also much happier now that dining capacity has increased, and the area is essentially used as the over-flow canteen. Now with the additional dining space, there is less pressure on the canteen and other indoor eating areas. No longer are children using valuable time during their lunch break waiting for dining tables to become free, nor are they having to rush their food to ensure they are back to their classes on time. This means the children are using their lunch break for what they should be used for – to relax!

Testimonial / Client Feedback

“I’d heartily recommend A&S Landscape to any other school or any other potential customer and we have done so. I’d very gladly work with them again.”

-Ian Gosling, Headteacher at Our Lady’s RC High School

About the client 

Our Lady’s RC High School is a catholic school located in the suburban area Blackley, within the city of Manchester. The school is made up of a lovely team of individuals who were friendly throughout the process and were extremely helpful when it came to discussing the options with them. They certainly made our job easier by being so efficient with communication. We are so pleased we could help them create their outdoor dining area.

Why invest in a dining area canopy? 

Outdoor dining canopies are beneficial to you whether you are a school, University, commercial business, or a public attraction, or any other business or organisation that requires to accommodate eating. Also exquisitely named outdoor dining and social canopies, they can be a hugely valuable investment. Here are a few reasons why they are worth investing in:

• The benefits of eating outside have long been documented, and so it’s no wonder we are all turning to outdoor dining rooms. Research has suggested that food can even taste and digest better. 
• As long as there is space available, a large outdoor dining area is in your reach. It’s a cost-effective solution that provides weather protection, gives room for outdoor entertaining and eases congestion on indoor areas. Additional features to outdoor dining canopies include heaters, lighting and power.
• Generally being outdoors is great for physical and mental health, it lowers rates of anxiety and depression, and increases concentration levels. Absorption of Vitamin D from the sunlight increases, which can help alleviate the chances of strokes, heart disease and other health problems.
• Outdoor dining canopies can bring use to unloved spaces. Providing your customers or students with a place to eat is always a good option – seeing as it’s something we do every day!
• Many of us are opting to take the ‘good dining experience’ to the next level. A dining area canopy is a great way to achieve this – just add your dining tables or picnic benches, and you’re good to go!

Why choose A&S Landscape?

We offer a whole range of canopies that can suit your needs. Whatever space you have available, and whether it’s a dining area canopy, or a playground canopy – at A&S Landscape, we have you covered!

We have been helping our customers to find the canopy that is special and unique to them for over 44 years. In this time, we have developed a wealth of knowledge, but have continued to offer a friendly, reliable and trustworthy service as part of our family-run business. If you need some inspiration, feel free to look through our product gallery, and at our other completed canopy and shelter projects.

We’re always happy to help find your ideal solution to your outdoor cover – so please get in touch with our friendly team on 01743 444100 or at [email protected].

Read more of our featured dining canopy projects

Outside Dining Canopy Installed at Rhymney Comprehensive School in Tredegar, South Wales

Rhymney Comprehensive School in Tredegar is surrounded by rolling green fields. Even on the rainiest days, there’s nothing better than taking in the fresh air and the views. So when the school decided that an outside canopy would enable their pupils to be outside more, A&S Landscape knew that there’d be an option to suit. Initially spoilt for choice, the school eventually settled on the Motiva Duo model, adding an opal effect roof and finished in Squirrel Grey. This created a space that the students immediately embraced, and the shelter is in demand even on the rainier days. The school now plans to add seating and tables so the space can be used for outside dining. The benefit of an outside dining canopy is that the space will be used even more, and we’re sure that there’ll be plenty of competition from the students to grab a seat at lunchtime! See why the students at Rhymney Comprehensive School will be flocking to use this canopied outside dining space here.

Curved Roof Dining Area Canopy Project Completed at Rushcliffe School in Nottingham

This was a real makeover project for A&S Landscape! From an ugly duckling in a sorry state to a swan sitting pride of place in the former quad area of the school. When Rushcliffe School in Nottingham approached us for a solution, they already knew that they wanted to revamp the area which was unused. The aim of the project was to increase the amount of dining space for students, and the school was keen to create an outside eating area, protected by a dining area canopy. As the school had grown, they needed to bring in to use areas of the building that were not adding value. The Motiva Duo dining area canopy range was perfect for this refurbishment project. The area was turned quickly and efficiently into a usable space that provided students with a quality outside eating area. Find out about the dining area canopy we installed at Rushcliffe School.

Meole Brace Secondary School in Shropshire Install a Blue Outside Dining Shelter

It’s a mealtime double-whammy at Meole Brace Secondary School in Shropshire! Not only have they created a fabulous canopied outside dining area, but they also decided to add a dining pod to alleviate pressure on the main dining hall. The school had wanted to create an outside seating area that would allow the students to use the space year-round. But the addition of this all-weather resource doesn’t just give students an outside dining shelter, it also offers an opportunity for teachers to use the space to deliver lessons outside. What set out as a canopied outside dining area has become an all-purpose space that has added value to the school on many levels. This shows the creative ways that additional dining area canopies can be used. Better still, it’s easy to show to governors the cost-benefit analysis of a school dining area canopy because the popularity amongst the students speaks for itself. Read more about Meole Brace Secondary School’s outside dining shelter here.

West Hatch High School in Essex at Freestanding, Curved Roof Shelter

West Hatch High School needed to find a solution to their cramped dining hall which wouldn’t break the bank. A&S Landscape had the perfect option in mind, which came in the form of an outdoor dining shelter. Our installation team added a Motiva Duo™ curved roof canopy to the school, complete with Brown Red coloured steelwork. The covered space can now be used as additional seating for the students during lunchtimes, relieving pressure from the existing facilities. As a cost-effective alternative to a formal building extension, it’s no surprise that more and more schools are choosing to install a dining shelter. Click here to see more about the dining shelter we made for West Hatch High School.

Sale High School Add Curved Roof Shelter in Greater Manchester

An underused decking area was the focus for this project at Sale High School. The school needed to create more space for the students during lunchtime and decided to revamp an unloved area on campus. Our design and installation team completely transformed the space into an outdoor dining area, complete with a newly tarmacked surface and curved roof canopy. With the simple addition of a few benches, the area can be used by the students who are looking for an alfresco lunch experience. Covering an overall area of 10000mm x 6000mm, there is plenty of room for many students to enjoy the space. Head over to our project page to see more about the dining shelter at Sale High School.