Mobile or Wall Mounted School Dining Furniture, Which is Best?
Multi-use dining areas have become increasingly popular in primary schools and secondary schools across the UK. With space at a premium in many of the country’s educational establishments, it makes sense to make the most of the room you have available. School canteens are among the best places to achieve this, since they are only used for an hour or so each day, leaving them free for other activities like drama, indoor sports, dance, and more.
The main issue, of course, is the furniture. When converting your school dining area into a multi-use area, your main choices are between a mobile folding canteen table you can wheel out of the way, or a wall mounted folding dining table that hangs from the wall when not in use. But which of these options is better?
Here at Versa Design, we can afford to be impartial, since we produce both types of school dining furniture – namely, our Benchmark table and our Wall Pocket system. In this article, we take a look at the relative merits of each.
Setting Up and Putting Away
Both types of dining table are easy to put up and fold away. They are designed for quick and smooth operation by your canteen staff, allowing them to lay out the canteen ready for service in a matter of minutes. That said, we have to give the edge to the Wall Pocket system. This wall mounted folding dining table opens out to its full length of up to four full tables in a single, smooth motion before clicking securely into place, benches and all. That’s an impressive feat for any piece of furniture.
Versatility
Both products work great as foldable dining furniture – that much is clear. With the Wall Pocket system, you’re somewhat limited by it being secured to the wall and opening out as a straight row of dining tables and benches. The Benchmark model can be folded down and wheeled out to another room, when not in use, or it can be arranged in a different layout in the dining area for other uses like meetings or conferences. While both fulfil their primary role to perfection, we must give the nod to our Benchmark tables here.
Saving Space
Again, both models score well in this department, folding down to a slim, narrow, vertical table. The Wall Pocket system folds into a lockable alcove on or in the wall, taking up very little room, while the Benchmark tables can be wheeled to the side of your dining area or stored away in a cupboard. Benchmark tables probably take up a little more space, due to their wheels. However, those also allow you to wheel them into a designated storage area. We’re going to have to call this one a draw.
What is the Best School Dining Furniture Solution for You?
Ultimately, it depends on what you want from your dining room space. Both options offer significant benefits to any school environment, freeing up room for other uses throughout the day. If you’d like us to take a look at your current canteen space and discuss your requirements, give Versa Design a call today on 0330 030 0330 to get a free, no-obligation quote.