Providing shade in an outdoor dining space is an effective way to attract customers and make their experiences with your café or restaurant more enjoyable. When it comes to cafes and restaurants using umbrellas there is a New South Wales Outdoor Dining User Guide (2019) that lists the policies relating to ‘street’ or ‘footpath dining’- this is essentially having equipment on a footpath that is being used by pedestrians and customers together. This document has been created using the NSW guidelines as well as those of the biggest cities in the state to give you an idea of what you need to consider when choosing the right shade for your space. Some local councils will also have regulations in place, so it’s a good idea to check their website for an ‘Outdoor Dining Guide’ or ‘Footpath Dining Policies’. 

Height, Size, and Materials:

Generally, if you have an umbrella on a footpath or street, it should be over 1.2 metres wide and at least 2.1 metres tall

Every summer, the days get longer, brighter, and hotter – but that doesn’t stop Australians from getting together to catch up, enjoy holidays and celebrate Christmas and the New Year! Aussies love discovering new restaurants and cafes, but they won’t stick around if they have to sit in the sun. Having a commercial quality sun shade will not only attract customers to your location, but can also contribute to the vibe you’re trying to create. The following umbrellas have been chosen as the best commercial sun shades available in 2024 thanks to their longevity, style, and ease of operation.

Best all rounder: Sunranger Café Series

Commercial Umbrella Policies for the 5 Largest Cities in New South Wales

Protecting your customers from the elements is an important aspect of outdoor dining and events, but it’s important to do it safely and within the regulation of your local council. We’ve gone through the outdoor dining policies for the five largest cities in New South Wales in order to create a comprehensive list of regulations and restrictions for the use of umbrellas in outdoor dining areas belonging to businesses in each city. These cities are Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, North Sydney, and Parramatta. We will also include the policies so that you can check them out!

Before you start scrolling to your city, check out the following information which has been taken from the New South Wales Outdoor Dining User Guide 2019 and relates to every city on this list. Please keep this in mind while considering the best outdoor commercial umbrella to suit your outdoor dining needs.

Commercial

Parashade umbrellas set a new standard in the world of outdoor umbrellas.

1. Masterfully engineered.
2. A statement of design and, 
3. The perfect fusion of form and function.

Designed, and hand-crafted in Capetown South Africa by an architect with a lifelong mission to make the most beautiful and functional umbrella in the world, Parashade is the most innovative thing to happen to the umbrella world in over a decade. With three international patents, it does everything any other umbrella can do, only better!

The low prices of Bunnings' outdoor umbrellas are starkly contrasted with those from specialised shade providers like Shade Australia. A Bunnings umbrella may cost as little as $99, but it's crucial to recognize what this price entails.

Bunnings' selection includes brands such as Hartman, Marquee, and Mimosa. Marquee and Mimosa, in particular, offer some of Australia's most competitively priced large outdoor umbrellas. While their prices are hard to beat, it's worth considering why there might be little competition at this price point.

The eye-catching low prices of Bunnings umbrellas draw customers in, but savvy shoppers should ponder the feasibility of such economical manufacturing and marketing.

Buying cheap can have hidden costs. For instance, inexpensive umbrellas often lack available spare parts, leading to their premature disposal when damaged.

Cantilever umbrellas create an atmosphere of sleek, professional luxury in any space wherever they’re placed. They are more versatile than traditional centrepost varieties though despite this they are not usually the first choice for commercial umbrellas – this is because they require staff to be more attentive and are less stable in the wind if they are not a wind-rated or heavy duty umbrella. Regardless, the look of and extensive shade provided by a premium cantilever umbrella can not be beaten and the following umbrellas display this as the best cantilever umbrellas in Australia for commercial use.

The Shelta Asta is one of the only commercially-sound Shelta cantilever umbrellas available off the shelf, and is certainly one of the most