“There is nothing new under the sun” – nowhere has this appeared more apt than in our review of deck chairs, or more accurately - informal outdoor seating.

Deck chairs are as much a part of summer park and beach life as knotted hankies. But what do you do when you haven’t got the sun and space?

Bankside has become justifiably famous for its epicure. The resurgence of Borough Market has caught the slow-food wave. However for those whose restaurant visits are perforce irregular, grazing on the hoof can turn into a very fast-food experience.

The challenge – how can you provide alternatives to sitting on kerbs or perching on car bonnets while the chorizo and rocket goes down in lumps.

The solution - supply 300 branded chairs, place them daily at corners, squares, niches which are attractive and if possible provide some shelter, encourage diners to enjoy impromptu, al fresco interludes and collect in the evening.

In addition to the obvious analogy with our beloved deck chairs (to which Bloomberg has added a celebrity twist) we looked to two international settings for inspiration.

Firstly, who can ignore the panache and literally laid back style of the loose seating in Jardin des Tuileres in Paris. These have helped elevate lounging to an art form.

Secondly, it is hard not be amazed by the transformation of Bryant Park in New York from a drug exchange to one of the most popular public spots for workers, visitors and residents. Led by a Business Improvement District, the formula here was:-

• raise the tree cover, lower the perimeter hedging
• in the revealed space, strategically place drinks and pizza cabins
• import more than enough chairs
• keep clean
• watch

So popular has the park become that when New York Fashion Week attempted to appropriate it for cat walks, they were forced to retreat from the hue and cry.

When we introduced this concept to Bankside (www.betterbankside.co.uk) a number of issues came to the fore:-

• consent from landowners
• the logistics of placing, collecting and cleaning
• procurement of chairs

There is obviously a story about each one, but amazingly when we researched chair suppliers our chosen French manufacturer not only supplied the Parisian gardens but also the New York Park!

Over a year into the project we have supplemented the chairs with tables and occasional entertainment – branded as “musical chairs” naturally.

And before you ask very few have been nicked.