Rising energy prices could be the final nail in the coffin for many UK Pubs and Restaurants. If things were not already bad enough with things like beer duty, taxes and greedy foreign investors then the surging prices of gas and electricity may very well spell the end. It is very sad considering how many local community hubs have disappeared already over the years.
So it really gets more ridiculous by the day – prices go up but they never come down. It just continues with one problem after another but really where are the solutions?
For an industry now on its knees, one question to ask is what Effective Energy Saving Ideas for UK Pubs and Restaurants are there available that might be able to change the fortunes of struggling hospitality businesses?
I have actually been thinking about this a lot. I know this is not my typical post on this website about online business. Which, by the way, will always be the main focus of this website but I thought this is something I do really care about.
It’s definitely about business at least and I really hope this information I’m about to share can make a difference.
Here are my Energy Saving Ideas for UK Pubs and Restaurants for 2022 going into 2023
Energy Saving Ideas for UK Pubs and Restaurants
Table of Contents
Now, this is something that has worried me. It seems as if every time I read the news it says about another pub or restaurant being forced to close because of the running costs simply being too high. I know COVID was quite devastating itself and a lot of measures made I thought were quite over the top – especially with how it has affected supply chains, but now it just seems to be one thing after another with the ongoing recession and economic crashes.
And really for me, I can justify the rising in prices. I do understand this as I myself have had to do exactly the same with some of my eBay stock. It’s a part of running a business you need to cover the costs. If what you are having to initially payout is not reflected upon what you charge for your products then your business is going to suffer. Simple as that.
However, what really has bugged me is the rising energy prices. For me, I have found that these have almost tripled since the outbreak.
I have struggled here myself from just being a single man in a one-bedroom apartment. Those with families including my own I know are paying probably double what I am. Also, people I know who run hospitality businesses are definitely suffering from these extortionate hikes in energy costs.
Things Are Changing For The Worst
I really can not speculate too much on what is going on behind the scenes but working this out they say on average a small pub or restaurant uses between 15,000 and 25,000 kWh of electricity per year whilst a medium pub or restaurant uses around 30’000 to 50’000 kWh.
From my own electricity tariff, this is what I will be paying every day as of October 2022
Unit rate: 55.73p per kWh +
Standing charge: 44.58p per day = £164.25 a year
So for a pub using 30,000 kWh a year, this is £16,800 plus however much extra it is for the standing charge.
This means before a Publican even thinks about living costs and paying staff they will need to sell 3400 pints of beer at £5 each.
So if you were a pub making £5000 a month that is over a quarter of the year’s income gone.
I mean I guess this figure is different depending on how well the business in question operates but I think it can definitely be said that Energy Saving Ideas for UK Pubs and Restaurants are very important.
So, quite frankly I don’t know if this information can help or not but let’s take a look at a few different ideas.
Cellar Cooling and Refrigeration
Now, I know you really can not mess around here too much – if something goes wrong then this can spell disaster but this is definitely one area where savings can be made.
Like I know I mentioned energy-saving costs for restaurants and not just pubs but one very important thing is to keep your cellar cool. If you don’t then basically energy saving costs are the last of your worries but here is the thing – to keep a cellar cool you must have your cooling units on 24/7, 365 days a YEAR!
I’ve seen a couple of calculations being made about how much this will set you back. I won’t go into the figures but this is definitely somewhere that you can possibly make savings from – for example, your actual cooling unit – if it experiences any kinds of problems this can cause your equipment to use more power.
Also, having other electrical appliances in your cellar such as freezers can cause your cooler to use more energy because of the heat that these appliances themselves emit. You can read more about this below along with a few other tips but yes so another idea I found very interesting is this…
In the colder months, you can actually invest in an external air supply system that will cool your cellar from the cold air outside for virtually free. I am not sure how well these devices work but with things going the way they are I wonder if something like this could really make the difference. Find out more via the links below;
https://www.cellarcooling.co.uk/free-cooling/
https://www.qualitaircellarcooling.co.uk/installers-stockists.html
https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2020/07/01/How-can-cellar-management-help-pubs-save-money
I think this will really help during the winter but another thing an energy-efficient pub or restaurant could do is…
Installing Solar Panels For Your Pub or Restaurant
Now, I know this will not be viable for every business. Many pubs and restaurants can often fall under the category of listed buildings. The likelihood of installing solar panels on a listed building must be approved first There are plenty of pros and cons to this idea but generally speaking on a Hot Summer’s day you can typically generate around 20kWh (give or take) of free power.
This can definitely help cut down the bills. Plus the added bonus (should you choose to take this a step even further) is that by having a meter installed to measure your excess energy this can all be sold back to the power grid.
I don’t think this is a whole lot of money but maybe £500 a year. Something you could then use to invest in is the maintenance of our power-saving electronics around your business premises. ie. cellar cooling maintenance. ~ even just for checkups
I will include a few possibly helpful links below;
https://www.pub-marketing-promotions.co.uk/free-solar-panels
https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/historic-crantock-pub-goes-green-with-solar-panels-installation/
https://www.projectsolaruk.com/blog/listed-buildings-solar-panels-rules/
I think these are the main points I’d like to make but definitely, there is more you can do. Even small things like…
Set Up Power Saving Devices and Monitors
Perhaps before doing anything else one good idea is to find out how much energy you are using and on what. Basically, by setting up a smart meter or smart device to monitor your ongoing energy usage you can then gain a better insight into your main energy hot spots.
This is really just the first step but by finding out which appliances are using the most energy you can find out whether you have better options available.
Like something like a washing machine or refrigerator/freezer, you may actually find that investing in a replacement could work out better long term as it may help to save on your electricity bills.
Plus, you then have power management devices. Newer TVs are good examples of this that will switch themselves into power-saving mode but also things like timed refrigeration and freezing can also save money.
Quite a lot can be done really. It might seem short-term like a problem financially but savings that range from 30-70% can really make all the difference long term.
How Much Money Can Be Saved?
Firstly, I mentioned this above I think – I’m kind of sharing this information from another source but here goes.
- Use plug appliance monitors for fridges, ovens, dishwashers, beer coolers, and glass washers to identify primary energy users. This information can further be used to invest in better energy-saving equipment.
- Switch to LED flood lights for exterior lighting – these can save 60-90% in this area alone.
- Install PIR movement occupancy sensor light switches for Beer Cellars and Store Rooms.
- Reduce the size of the chilled beer storage area to as small as possible. Use insulated plasterboard stud walls to partition your cooling area smaller. Or consider a chilled water loop circulation, also known as Cask Cooling Probes.
- Use suitable floor installation if the cellar is directly above a warm area. This can also make somewhere like a pub cold – you want the cellar to be cool and the pub to be warm so this is what you will need.
- Ensure there is an ‘off thermostat’ control when suitably cooled for your existing beer cellar cooling equipment.
- Convert Halogen Spotlights to LED Spotlights for 90% of savings.
More ideas can be found in the following article;
Also, read;
In Conclusion;
Indeed, it looks to be tough times ahead – whilst Ukraine is going to war with Russia on our homefront we must go to war with our energy bills. Not just pubs and restaurants but every household that is actually not just in the UK but also others in Europe that are currently facing the same crisis. Small things can make the difference – a little bit of ingenuity.
Even asking friends how much their monthly energy bill is and if they have any tips for being more efficient. I have heard things recently like keeping my water heater off (unless necessary), if I can do that I can probably slash my electric bill in half. Somebody I see posted on Facebook about using oil lamps in winter instead of central heating. This is a great idea for low-income households and actually anyone wanting to costs. [Read More Here]
If you run a pub or restaurant speak to other people in the trade. I am no expert here I’m afraid just a bit of research I’ve done online but it might be helpful and hopefully this can help keep your prices down and your doors open.
Final Word
So for anyone reading this, I hope my Energy Saving Ideas for UK Pubs and Restaurants have been helpful. I would say saving money through these tough times is very important but on the contrary, another thing to consider I would also say is…
Making More Money! ?
I think this goes without saying. What can you do to drum up a little bit more business? If you are hosting events or running promotions are you getting the word out to enough people? Are you creating the right atmosphere and are your customers happy with their overall experience?
This should come first but also why not look to other avenues to make a bit extra money if you have the spare time? Check out some of our recommended posts below;
How To Create An eBay Account To Sell Stuff
50+ Important Tools for Digital Marketing
64 Lessons To Learn About Affiliate Marketing
7 Different Side Hustles To Try Alongside Your Main Business
Plus Also My Final Tip Subscribe For Our Daily Email Course for Affiliate Marketing + Blogging Tips
Many Thanks for Reading
& #ToYourFutureSuccess from
Alexander B. Chivers
iBusinessToday.com
Contact us at chivs86@ibusinesstoday.com
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In times like these, saving on energy is more important than ever. You raise some good points, getting energy conserving light bulbs (led) to energy saving (highly efficient) washing machines, to even changing settings on devices so they use less energy during peak times. including changing the thermostat to off, when not in use. The visual infographics you have validate your points.
Thanks Muz, as I said in the article this is not my typical post I’d put on this website but really I’d hope this can help business owners save money to help them through these difficult times.