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An A3 portrait format menu case from Greenbarnes' new Man-made Timber Smallboard range.

Restaurant owners know that now, more than ever before, success depends upon creating a good first impression. If passers-by don’t even break their stride to glance at your menu, then its content is irrelevant, they won’t be dining. So presenting the information in a tidy and professional fashion becomes a prerequisite of success, but how is this best achieved?

In many cases, particularly in urban surroundings, the answer lies in the use an aluminium menu case (and we offer plenty of alternatives to fill this requirement), but is there something more appropriate for use elsewhere, in more rural surroundings?

The traditional and obvious answer to this question is to use a timber display case of some description, but these do require unflinching dedication to their regular maintenance in order to keep them in tip-top condition.

But fear not! Now there is a maintenance-free solution that looks like timber but has none of the inherent problems of wooden menu boards – the Greenbarnes Man-made Timber Smallboard.

Greenbarnes have been manufactured larger scale notice boards in this versatile recycled plastic material since 1994 and, as a result of demand, we are now pleased to offer these menu-sized cases in 3 standard sizes, A2, A3 & A4 in portrait and landscape formats. Man-made timber will not warp, rot, split or fade and as it is totally impervious to salt, it is ideal for use in sea front environments.

For more details of the benefits of man-made timber, please click here. Alternatively, to discuss the possibilities, including branding and bespoke sizes, please call our sales team on 01280 701093.

A recent church sign project for Great Baddow United Reform Church, Essex. From January 2011 all non-VAT registered customers will inevitably be paying more to get their message across.

If the two great certainties of life are death and taxes, 2011 will start with a third, yet more tax! In order to begin plugging the huge hole in its finances, the UK government recently announced that from 04/01/2011 the standard rate of VAT will rise by 2.5% to 20%.

This may not sound like a lot but if you are currently considering spending money on signage, notice boards or street furniture and, if like many of our customers, you are on a tight budget and unable to reclaim VAT, (churches and village halls in particular come to mind here), in effect this represents 2.5% more that you will have to spend to achieve the same result. The only alternative will be to pare down your wish list to match the funds available.

Given that, by their very nature, these projects tend to take a while in the planning, our advice to anyone in this position would be to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later. Time spent now on working out what you need and gathering the necessary information will ensure that, not only do you have the time to make informed choices but also that you will be in a position to place an order in good time ahead of the crowd.

From January 2011 all non-VAT registered customers will inevitably be paying more to get their message across.

So, having convinced you that now is the time to act, the next question is where to start. Perhaps you won’t be surprised to learn that, in our opinion, you could do worse than ringing our sales team on 01280 701093 or email our Sales Department for sound advice and no-obligation quotations.

Top: Solar-powered lamp posts providing lighting without the need for a mains connection. Bottom: Solar-powered bollards; a cost-effective method to light the way

Cost-effective lighting is set to take a significant step forward with the introduction of our new solar-powered lamp post and bollard system. Available as 2000, 3000 or 4000mm posts and 1000mm high bollards, these units offer significant cost savings on both installation (as they require no cable runs or mains connections) and running costs.

Intelligent design also means that the separate solar panels which have made previous products expensive and prone to vandalism are a thing of the past. Instead, the solar units are protected by a polycarbonate cover and are housed stylishly within the post itself.

Applications include walkways, cycle paths, car parks, schools, universities, sports grounds, retail and leisure centres. The system generates 350 lumens whilst using only 3 watts of energy. An inbuilt sensor ensures that the units only light up when approached by people, cars or bikes reducing both power consumption and light pollution. Units can be pre-programmed to light up in sequence, for an agreed duration, and needs just 1 hour of sunshine per month to generate sufficient power.

Keen interest is expected in both posts and bollards which are due for release in late summer 2010. To receive further information as it becomes available click here to register your interest now.

Comrie in Colour volunteers pictured with their new recycled plastic notice board

The beautiful village of Comrie in Perthshire, Scotland, lies on the banks of the River Earn at the edge of the Scottish Highlands and is in the heart of the scenic West Strathearn area of Perthshire, with mountains rising to the north.

When it comes to their recycling activities, the local population must be ranked amongst the most resourceful of citizens. Amongst the many active village organisations is “Comrie in Colour” which, last year, successfully gained awards in the Large Village category of ‘Take a Pride in Perthshire and ‘Scotland in Bloom. Building on this success the group has now decided to compete in ‘Britain in Bloom’ and to this end it has been working hard in and around the village.

“We have planted over 4.000 plug plants for the baskets to hang in the village, this involved making our own liners for the baskets out of re-used plastic resourced locally”
- says the group’s page on the village website.

Most recently however, the group has furthered its green credentials by choosing one of Greenbarnes’ range of maintenance-free Man-made Timber notice boards, also constructed from recycled plastics, to publicise its own work as well as that of other village groups.

For further details of all our recycled plastic notice boards call us on 01280 701093 or email our Sales Department or go to www.greenbarnes.co.uk/product-type/noticeboards/man-made-timber-notice-boards

Top: Parker Hoop bicycle stand. Bottom: Harlequin bicycle rack

There can be little doubt that cycling is on the increase. We have come a long way since Sustrans first mooted the idea of a National Cycle Network in 1995 and, with their current “Bike It” campaign to get children cycling to school and the efforts of other bodies such as Cycling England to persuade us to take to two wheels, the chances are that the trend is set to continue.

This is all good news, both in terms of the environment and also for personal health, but it does bring with it one problem – where to park all the extra bikes? We are told that currently just 2% of children cycle to school. Judging by the tangled heap of bikes outside my local primary school each morning, if a significant proportion of the remainder are also persuaded, school playgrounds will rapidly begin to resemble scrap yards.

So what can you do to avoid this latest manifestation of the parking problem? Well, a good start can be made by visiting the Bicycle Parking page of our website where we have assembled range of cost-effective solutions including a bike rests and bike stands including single and double sided versions, floor and wall-mounted models, galvanised and stainless steel finishes, a bright multi-coloured one called Harlequin especially for school playgrounds and even one for hanging bicycles from the ceiling if you are really inundated.

A good second step would be to contact our sales team on 01280 701093 or email our Sales Department .

We look forward to hearing from you.

Solar-powered notice board recently installed at Welcombe Hills School, Stratford upon Avon.

Welcombe Hills School, a specialist college for the visual and performing arts in Stratford upon Avon, is one of the latest Greenbarnes clients to be enjoying the benefits of installing a solar-illuminated notice board.

When the need for a new board arose recently, the school chose an A0 landscape format board with white powder-coated finish and polycarbonate glazing from our growing range of solar-powered notice boards.

Solar illumination allowed the board to be installed in the chosen location on the far side of the car park from the school building without the need to run mains cables and the associated costs. A passive motion sensor detects movement after dusk and thus the board is only lit when passers-by are in the vicinity. This drastically reducies the power consumption of the unit.

For this installation a board with a contemporary appearance was appropriate, however for locations suited to something of more traditional nature, the “Ornate” range offers the same technology built into boards with decorative posts and finials.

Site supervisor Jason Yapp commented that since installation of the board he had been impressed by both the level of illumination of the board and the effectiveness of the motion sensors.

For further details and to receive a no-obligation quotation, please contact our Sales Department

At last - a good-looking recycled plastic bench

Recent years have seen the introduction of a plethora of seating manufactured from recycled plastic but to date, the end result has nearly always looked just that, an assembly of stock profiles. Even those benches with purpose-moulded end frames have tended to look heavy and over-engineered. At last however, Greenbarnes are about to offer a recycled plastic bench which addresses these shortcomings.

Manufactured in a UV-stable mix of LDPE & HDPE the benches have a projected life span of 25 + years and will be graffiti resistant, (paints tend not to “take” to recycled plastic). The material used is extremely tough and therefore capable of taking a fair amount of abuse, however In the event of serious damage such as vehicle impact, affected components are designed to be replaced individually, thus minimising “whole life” costs.

The first benches are expected to be available in the summer. To receive further information as it becomes available click here to register your interest now.

Top: Burgess Square signage in stainless steel. Bottom: Bespoke oak-framed chalk board for The Old Hall Bookshop

A quick glance at our “Recent Projects Map” immediately reveals the nationwide coverage achieved by Greenbarnes products. However, three very different signage jobs, coincidentally all undertaken within the last 3 months in our home town of Brackley, Northants, have combined to provide a useful showcase of the company’s diversity.

First to be completed was a project for developer Swan Hill Homes Ltd in connection with the town’s new Burgess Square development. The signs, in brushed stainless steel with chemically etched graphics, are mounted between bollards at the front edge of the site to identify the newly created space and to delineate it from the existing Market Place.

Immediately opposite the Burgess Square project, but a world away in style, a bespoke oak-framed chalk board for our local independent book shop demonstrates the company’s skills in more traditional areas of sign-making. The Old Hall Bookshop occupies elegant Georgian premises set back from the High Street behind a garden area and was looking for a way to raise its profile by means of getting a variable message to passers-by. The railing-mounted board can be removed for safe storage at night.

Last but not least was a brace of powder-coated aluminium “tray” type signs with computer-cut vinyl graphics for life insurance specialists Pulse Insurance Ltd who have recently opened new premises in the town.

If you are considering any signage projects, why not contact our Sales Department for a no-obligation quotation.

Solar-powered notice board wall-mounted version

Greenbarnes have turned to solar-power for the latest additions to our range of external aluminium notice boards and display cases. With the emphasis currently being placed on implementing environmentally responsible solutions this is bound to appeal to a wide body of users, not least local authorities.

The benefits however are not confined to the product’s green credentials; the lack of need for a mains power supply not only makes installation significantly cheaper but also allows illumination in areas where this would previously have been impractical. Hence, a wide range of users including churches, schools and parish councils are now able to double the effectiveness of their message by getting it across day and night.

Motion sensors and a timing mechanism ensure that lighting is active on only when people are in close proximity, hence maximising battery life. For more information download an information sheet or contact our Sales Department via email or use our contact form on this site.

Before and after photos of a Greenbarnes installation at Chipping Warden, Northants.

Our recently introduced nationwide installation service is off to a flying start with jobs in a variety of locations already completed and many more quoted for.

As a manufacturer, we have always done everything possible to ensure that our products are simple to install and that they are supplied with full instructions to enable end users or their chosen contractors to undertake the work.

Whilst the use of such local contractors continues to be the method of choice for many of our clients, recently we have become aware of a growing demand for a one stop “supply and fix” service from customers who are either unable to source their own contractor, or who would prefer to see both the manufacturing and installation aspects of the project handled as one.

After careful evaluation, we believe that we have found ideal partners in the form of specialist sign installation company CSIM, who will be undertaking installations on our behalf in England and Wales, and Edinburgh-based Colinton Arts who will offer a similar service in Scotland.

Greenbarnes were very helpful in assisting us to find the right notice board for our needs. Delivery and installation were on time and the quality of the board is excellent.
- Lorraine Stanley of Chipping Warden Parish Council

For further details and costings, please contact our Sales Department