Napkin holders

Start with what has to go in. If it is only napkins on the table, a single-compartment model is enough and takes up little room. Put it at a self-service point where guests help themselves to cutlery, straws and napkins, and a three-part holder replaces three separate trays while keeping the layout clear.

The material mainly determines how much punishment it takes. Black plastic is light, does not draw attention and survives daily wiping with a cloth. Copper is heavier, which means it stands its ground better on a terrace, and it suits a bar where the rest of the metal is warm in tone too. With a table model, watch the weight, because too light and it travels along with the napkins being pulled out of it. For the rest of the table setting, the coasters and the trays are grouped together.

Do not fill a holder to the brim. Napkins that are wedged in tear when taken, and a guest who pulls takes the whole stack. Fill to about three quarters and top up more often instead. Fold all the napkins the same way round, open side to the front, and guests will naturally take one at a time.

Behind the bar, keep the holder a fixed distance from the tap so you can reach it blind. When serving cocktails, put the napkin under the glass rather than beside it, because that catches condensation and prevents rings on the wood. If you want straws on the table too, you will find them with the straws, and sugar and cocoa are with the sugar bowls and shakers.

Wipe black plastic with a damp cloth and a drop of washing-up liquid. Do not use a scouring pad, because small scratches soon show on matt black and then trap grease. Cleaners containing alcohol can dull the matt finish, so stick to soap and water.

Copper needs drying. Leave it standing wet and it tarnishes, giving you marks a cloth will not remove. Wash by hand, dry immediately and accept that copper darkens over time. If you would rather it did not, polish with lemon juice and salt and rinse thoroughly.

If you are fitting out a bar or terrace from scratch, the tools and accessories are gathered on the bar tools page. If you are after glassware that can handle the daily pace of a hospitality business, look at the hospitality glasses. And if you want to know what goes into those glasses, the cocktail pages give the recipe and the matching glass for each classic.