As we return to eating out more regularly, for many people it can be extremely difficult to hear and follow conversation, which surely is one of the main reasons for dining out in the first place.

The situation has been made even worse in recent times thanks largely to the interior design trends for restaurants. It seems that very little consideration is given to the acoustics of the space and when exacerbated by ‘open kitchens’, background music and minimal soft furnishing the listening environment is difficult for everyone – whatever your hearing ability.

We don’t want to give up on going out so here are our 5 top tips for a Happy Hearing Dining Experience!

Choose a restaurant or pub that you are familiar with, or visit the venue before making a reservation. This will help you assess the dining options available and select a good table, away from obvious loud sounds.

Try and book a table as early as you can when it’s convenient for you. The earlier you go in the evening the quieter the restaurants will be and the music may not start until later. Remember for some people listening in a noisy environment can be tiring after a while, so keep the evening short.

It is often best for people who struggle to hear to select a table in the corner of the room or next to a wall. If you have your back to the wall and face your fellow diner/s, the wall helps to avoid noise from behind and allows you to focus on the conversation in front of you.

Take a look at the menu before you go and check out the specials board on arrival. This avoids the awkwardness of not being able to hear the waiting staff when they come and talk to you. If you know what you want to order before your waiter approaches you can escape that horror of not knowing what to say.

Go with someone who understands what you can and cannot hear. Many people you meet may not actually be aware of your hearing loss and won’t know when to help you. Remember that hearing loss is invisible to others. It is therefore important to tell people so they can help you out where needed.

We would love to know if you have recently frequented a local restaurant of cafe in which it was particularly easy to maintain conversation or where care was taken to make it a more acoustically friendly environment.