Shareen Campbell and Phil Saunter, owners of Los Gatos and Bistro Les Chats in Wood Street, and the Swindon Business People of the Year, talk about life in the restaurant business

 When we opened a tapas bar, we were just opening a bar that did some food.

The space was small and the kitchen tiny. That seemed okay because that’s the way it is in Spain, where most of the space would be occupied by the bar with just a few tables or even no tables at all, unless outside on the pavement.

But of course we’re in Swindon and, although more than half of Brits have travelled to Spain, the habit of eating at the bar hadn’t really taken off, at least not eight years ago.

It seemed that Swindon wanted us to be a restaurant, something we’ve always tried to resist at Los Gatos, despite our sales being about 50:50 food and drink.

However, things are changing. We notice that “bar dining” is becoming more popular in the UK. In Swindon, our experience is that more people feel comfortable with this informality.

There are advantages. Firstly, there’s always more potential for interaction at the bar. The bar staff are there to talk to – great if you are alone – and in this informal position it’s also easy to strike up conversations with others as they come and go to the bar.

People-watching from the vantage point of a high bar stool is entertainment in itself!

Many women will agree that sitting on their own at the bar in a typical pub would make them feel vulnerable and uncomfortable.

In a tapas bar, however, eating alone at the bar looks natural and is much more fun than sitting alone at a table with a book.

Swindon sees many visitors travelling alone on business and both men and women in such a position confirm this preference to us.

But not everyone agrees – so while we continue to encourage food and conversation at the bar, we also provide a few tables for those who need to or prefer to sit down to eat.

Running a successful venue is about getting the balance right between the style you want to provide and what your customers want from you.

And it seems that what customers want now, is more seats at the bar!