The times they are a changing, 2020 has been a different year to say the least, but here in Britain, we are famed for our ability to adapt, improvise, and overcome.
Indoor socializing this year has been somewhat quashed by the pandemic, but thankfully in most parts of blighty, a quick catch-up outdoors is still above board.
With the onset of winter however, sipping away those long summer nights in ‘Lockdown 1.0’ seems a distant memory and once again we need to turn to our ingenuity to get us through this.
Despite being fiercely made in Britain, we understand there is a big wide world beyond our shores and as jack frost starts to nip at our quaint British toes we’ve looked further afield for some inspiration as to how other countries continue to make the most of their outdoors by dining alfresco when the mercury is dropping outside.
Scandinavia
In Britain we do like a good moan about the weather, but truth be told we do not have it nearly as bad as the Scandinavians do.
In Norway there is a famous saying “there is no such thing as bad weather just poor clothing”. With this in mind, why not do as the Norwegians do and layer up.
Grab your cosiest wooly hat and thick Nordic jumper, throw on your biggest faux-down jacket and drape a big blanket over your waist to fight off the frost.
Café culture in Oslo is full of street side patrons sipping salted caramel cappuccinos wrapped up in hygge blankets, so why can’t we?
Plus, if you do happen to spill a spot on your composite decking, Alchemy’s stain resistant coating means the clean up can wait until after your guests have departed.
New York
Famous in equal part for its cosmopolitan cuisine and its harsh sub-zero winters, New Yorkers this year have yet another beast to contend with thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, as the city’s governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered all restaurants in the big apple to serve their food outside in order to help tackle the crisis.
Never a bunch to be put down, residents of the city that never sleeps have risen to the occasion by investing heavily in outdoor heating to keep toasty.
You don’t have to have a Rockefeller sized budget either to take part - you can pick up cheap and eco-friendly patio heating online for a fair price to see you through to spring.
India
Ok, so no India doesn’t have sub-zero temperatures, but in some seasons it does have a distinct amount of rain (and if there’s one thing we specialise in, in Britain, it’s rain).
To combat said rain, they also have an abundance of umbrellas. India is famed for its umbrellas and Indian cities are a sea of brightly coloured umbrellas during the vicious monsoon season.
So why not take a tea leaf (see what we did there) out of the subcontinent’s book and invest in a sturdy weather defying parasol to fight off the drizzle, partner this with a New York style street heater and like an Alchemy composite deck, you’ll be completely season proof, no matter how much it’s chucking it down.
Australia
Yeah, they might be the undisputed kings of throwing shrimps on the barbie but on this occasion, we just could not find any tips from the Aussies to help with outdoor eating when the weather turns.
We guess it is just not something the famously laid-back antipodeans have to worry about.
If by some miracle we see sun on these shores this winter the fading of your decking is something you won’t have to worry about either, as the HDPE capped coating on Alchemy means that your composite deck will be UV resistant whatever the weather, now that’s something to smile about.
Hooroo.