Pub electricity bill – how to reduce costs

For the best results, a pub electricity bill can be attacked from two sides. First, reduce the amount of electricity used by your pub. This energy saving not only saves you money, it helps the fight against climate change too. Secondly, shop around to reduce the amount you pay for the electricity you still have to use. You could reduce your pub electricity bill by as much as 40%. That has got to increase your profit margin.

The British Beer & Pub Association have a very helpful cost guide for different pubs.

The Morning Advertiser reports an increase in running costs of the average pub.

Reduce a pub electricity bill without spending a penny

Educate your staff. Perhaps show them your pub electricity bill. Explain that you would like them to help lower the energy used by your business.

Lighting accounts for 25% of energy use in a typical pub*. A policy of switching off lighting when it is not needed will instantly save you money on your electricity bill. You can easily remind staff to do this by placing posters in staff areas, or stickers next to light switches. This is something all pub owners should try.

Do consider health and safety though, if you have a dark corridor for example, that should remain lit.

If you have any lighting run by timer switches, ensure they are set to trading hours and not wasting electricity when they are not required.

In the kitchen. It is important to keep refrigerators, freezers and coolers working efficiently. This reduces the amount of electricity they use to reach the required temperature. A regular check to ensure air vents or fans are clear and free from dust won’t take long. Also check that seals on doors haven’t deteriorated. This helps with energy saving.

This should be your first step, as you won’t need to spend money on new gadgets or equipment.

Low cost measures can make a large difference to your electricity bill

If you have any standard light bulbs, upgrade these to LEDs. They are more expensive, but remember lighting accounts for around a quarter of your pub energy. Even with this additional cost, they will still reduce your pub electricity bill because:

• they use up to 80% less electricity
• you will get around 50,000 hours of use from them

You can also install occupancy or motion sensors. These will help your pub save electricity in public areas such as toilets, function rooms, and if a B&B, bedrooms too. They can help in your cellar and office as well of course.

Check the price you pay on your pub electricity bill

Check you are paying a competitive rate for your pub electricity. Electricity prices go up and down, so feel free to call us to check your electricity rates. As brokers, we have special relationships with over 30 energy companies. In addition, our buying power in the UK energy market gets substantially lower rates that we pass onto our business customers.

We can advise on this and any other energy related questions for your pub.

So, tackle your pub electricity bill from both angles. Implement some of these suggestions and give us a call to reduce the price you pay.

 

* Carbon Trust

 

Perfect Clarity can help businesses save money on their energy and water contracts. Call 020 3372 6517 for more information.