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.

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

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

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.

SN board in Accoya with black stain finish

Greenbarnes are pleased to announce that our extensive range of traditional-looking timber notice boards are now available in Accoya®, a ground-breaking new material. Accoya® is the result of more than 75 years of research and development on wood acetylation. It is a modified wood produced using a patented process that adapts sustainably grown softwoods by increasing the amount of acetyl molecules present in the wood.

Accoya® contains 20 per cent acetyl molecules, compared to the 4 per cent found in oak and 2 per cent in pine. It is an extensively researched and proven “new wood species” with performance properties that match or exceed those of the very best tropical hardwoods and can be used with absolute confidence in external applications.

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