A grand opening only happens once. The banner you hang above the door is the loudest signal you can send to the local high street, and it needs to land on day one rather than three weeks later. From our Putney studio we print opening banners daily, often turning artwork around in a few hours when the launch date sneaks up.
This guide walks through size choices, material, the copy that actually pulls walk-ins, and the fitting details most shops miss. Read it before you brief a designer or you will end up reprinting.
5ft x 3ft PVC at 510gsm is the workhorse size for a shopfront opening. Use brass eyelets every 50cm, keep copy to under 8 words, include the opening date and a hook (free coffee, 20% off, prize draw). Same day turnaround from our Putney studio is £31 to £60.
Pick a size that fits your facia
Measure the gap between your shop frontage and the brick or sign tray above it before you order anything. Most London shopfronts on a high street take a 5ft x 3ft banner cleanly, though small unit fronts (Putney Heath side streets, Wandsworth backs) often work better at 4ft x 2ft.
If you have scaffolding or a hoarding, go bigger. A 5ft x 5ft banner at eye level on a hoarding does the work of three smaller signs.
Common opening banner sizes
3ft x 2ft for window display or A-frame use. 5ft x 3ft for shopfront facia. 5ft x 5ft for hoarding, scaffold or upper-floor drops. Beyond 5ft you move into multi-panel territory which adds cost and time.
Material: PVC is the right answer 95% of the time
For an opening event lasting one day to a fortnight, 510gsm PVC is the standard. It is waterproof, holds bright colour, and survives a London October without curling. Vinyl is for one-off indoor use or applied to a flat surface. Mesh is only relevant if you are on scaffolding above the first floor and the wind would tear a solid banner.
We hem all four edges and fit brass eyelets every 50cm as standard, which matters when the wind picks up on Putney Bridge Road.
Copy that actually pulls people in
Banners get read in roughly two seconds from across the road. That means under 8 words for the main message, a date that is impossible to miss, and one reason to come inside today.
Strip out everything that is not the offer. Your phone number and website live on the door vinyl, not the opening banner.
A copy formula that works
Top line: NOW OPEN or OPENING SATURDAY. Middle line: the hook (FREE COFFEE FIRST 100 / 20% OFF LAUNCH WEEKEND / WIN A HAMPER). Bottom line: the date in big numerals. Three lines, three messages, no more.
Colours that read from 20 metres
Black text on yellow is the most legible combination at distance. Brand colours are fine if they have strong contrast, but a pale grey on white reads as blank space from across the road.
A grand opening banner has two seconds to land. Under 8 words, a date, and one reason to walk in.
Hanging it properly on launch morning
Cable ties through brass eyelets beat bungee cords every time. They sit tight, do not sag, and cost pennies. Bring a stepladder, a pair of scissors, and a second person.
If you are fixing to brickwork you will need rawl plugs and screws with washers. If you are on scaffolding, lash to the upright poles at four corners and the midpoints. Never trust a single fixing on a windy day.
Grand opening banner planning at a glance
| Size | Best for | Material | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ft x 2ft | Window display, A-frame | 510gsm PVC | £31 to £38 |
| 5ft x 3ft | Standard shopfront facia | 510gsm PVC | £42 to £50 |
| 5ft x 5ft | Hoarding, scaffold drop | 510gsm PVC or mesh | £55 to £60 |
| 6ft x 2ft | Long narrow facia, window strip | 510gsm PVC | £45 to £52 |
Timeline: working back from your opening date
Most opening dates slip. Build the banner step into your timeline early so it is not the thing holding you up the night before. We can turn a banner around the same day from our Putney studio if you are pressed, but a calmer schedule produces a better banner.
If you have not finalised your offer five days before opening, work on that first. The banner is the last 30 minutes of the process, not the first.
Cable ties through brass eyelets beat bungee cords every time on a London shopfront.
Coordinating banner with other launch signage
A banner is the loudest piece of opening signage but it should not be the only one. Pair the main banner with window vinyls on the door (opening hours, contact, social handles), a chalkboard A-frame at the kerb for daily specials, and one or two roller banners inside if you have indoor space.
Keep the design language consistent across all of it. Same fonts, same colours, same hierarchy. A coordinated set tells the customer this is a serious business that thought about its launch. A mismatched set tells them you printed each piece in a panic the day before, even if you did.
Photography for after the launch
Take photos of the banner in position on launch day. Crowd shots in front of it become social content for the next month and Google Business Profile updates that signal a fresh, busy listing.
Ready to Get Your Banner Printed?
Get your artwork to us a few days before launch and we will proof it the same day. If the date has crept up on you, walk into the studio at Shop 395 Tildesley Road, Putney Heath, with a rough idea and we will design the banner with you on the spot.
Call 020 3669 9854 or WhatsApp +44 7376 464869 with your size and opening date, and we will quote within the hour.
Related Banner Services
We Print Banners Across London
From our Putney studio we deliver same day to areas including:
