No matter what kind of pub your establishment is, you'll have noticed one thing. People like to sit down when they drink. Pub chairs are high on the list of essential fixtures and features for any public house - somewhere below the alcohol and toilet facilities, but higher than tables and definitely far more important than gaming machines or pool tables.

It's easy to think that choosing the right type of pub chair isn't really that important. After all, if people have beer and a place to sit, do they really care what they're sitting on? But you'd be wrong. A little thought reveals that choosing the right kind of furniture is actually more of an investment in the future of your establishment and in how your patrons behave on your premises. It can also save you a lot of effort when it comes to cleaning time.

For example, consider how your seating affects the atmosphere of your pub. Booths are a popular feature in many pubs, and allow small groups of people to share a sociable pint without intrusion from other customers. But they can isolate customers from one another and force larger groups to split up. For a more sociable, open atmosphere, booths might not be the best option. After booths, you get benches. If you have long tables to go with them, these can be perfect. But again, they're a little inflexible. Maybe chairs would be better? These have the benefits of being easily moveable when it comes to cleaning time, and customers can (and will) move them to different tables as needed. If a group of friends can fit around a table, then they're likely to stay longer.

Then there's bar stools. You'll probably want a couple of these. But do you really want to fill the length of your bar with seating? People can get quickly frustrated if they can't even get to the bar without leaning over someones shoulder. However they do appeal in quieter situations, and allow regulars to talk to the bar staff without unnecessary effort. They also offer a good place for people to wait if they're meeting someone in your establishment - no one likes to sit at an empty table on their own after all.

Finally, its important that you buy the correct amount of furniture. If you buy too much, your pub will become overcrowded in either storage space or walking space. The former will make it unwieldy to pack away at the end of the night or change your layout when you want, and the latter will make breakages all the more common. An overcrowded room can also have a negative effect on customer enjoyment; do people really want to have to squeeze past all that furniture, perhaps filled with people, to get to the toilets, the bar or just where their friends are sat?

Remember, whilst your furniture generally doesn't have to look too nice in a pub, it helps to match it to the rest of the decor - no stylish chrome designs in Ye Older Pub for example. But luckily for pub owners, most patrons are more interested in function over form. Of course, that's no reason to wait for the 20 year old battered bar stool to actually break before you replace it...