Quick Wins: 10 Practical Steps To Reduce Energy Use in Your Pub

Every landlord feels the squeeze. Rising wholesale energy prices, shrinking government support, and supplier billing errors combine into a monthly headache. According to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), energy bills now represent one of the top three costs for many pubs, second only to staff and beer supply. Their 2022 survey found that some licensees saw bills increase by over 150% year-on-year. That’s not just uncomfortable, it’s unsustainable. The good news: many savings don’t require expensive upgrades. They’re quick, practical changes you can make today.

This guide lays out ten energy-saving actions tailored for UK pubs. Each one is drawn from real operating experience, industry data, and supplier comparisons. Implementing even half could reduce your bills by 10–20% without affecting your atmosphere. At the end, we’ll show how to get a free audit of your current bills so you can stop overpaying immediately.

1. Know your numbers before suppliers do

The first saving comes from information. Many pubs operate with estimated bills, often because suppliers don’t get regular meter reads. Ofgem reports that up to 20% of small business bills are still based on estimates, leading to costly corrections later. A landlord who submits actual readings monthly stops suppliers from “guesstimating” high. Regular reads also help you spot abnormal spikes, like a fridge left running warm or a cellar cooler working overtime.

Learn more about meter checks here. Or, if you want us to handle it, our audit service includes meter and MPAN/MPRN validation.

2. Track cellar cooling: the hidden giant

Cellar cooling systems are often the single biggest electricity draw in a pub. Utility Bidder’s hospitality report notes that cellar coolers can account for 30–40% of a pub’s entire electricity bill. Yet many run colder than required. The optimal range for beer storage is 11–13°C. Each degree colder adds 10% to running costs. A quick reset of your thermostat, combined with keeping cellar doors shut, can cut thousands per year without affecting pint quality.

See Ventilation & Kitchens for how extraction interacts with cellar cooling load.

3. Switch lighting to LED: small change, big cut

Lighting often feels minor but adds up. BEIS research shows that switching from halogen to LED can reduce lighting energy use by up to 80%. For a pub open 70+ hours a week, that’s hundreds of pounds per year. LED bulbs now come in warm tones suitable for pubs, so ambience doesn’t suffer. Focus first on front-of-house fittings that run long hours, then move to staff areas and external signage.

4. Control heating with a landlord’s mindset

Heating is one of the most emotionally loaded costs: landlords want customers warm and comfortable. But BEIS data suggests pubs routinely overheat by 2–3°C compared to optimal. Lowering thermostats by just 1°C can reduce heating bills by around 8%. Combined with scheduled timers and radiator TRVs in underused rooms, pubs can save significant sums. The trick is balancing comfort with cost – not turning down to freezing, but stopping waste during quiet hours.

For more operational advice see Front-of-House Cost Cutting.

5. Keep refrigeration honest

Fridges, freezers, and back-bar chillers are essential, but many run inefficiently. The Carbon Trust estimates pubs can cut refrigeration energy by up to 20% through maintenance alone. Steps include defrosting freezers, checking door seals, and avoiding overstocking which forces compressors to overwork. Simple housekeeping saves far more than expensive equipment upgrades.

6. Kitchen extraction: don’t let it run your bill

Commercial extraction fans can burn through electricity at an alarming rate. A typical kitchen extractor uses 2–3 kW, and left on unnecessarily can add hundreds per month. Train staff to switch on only when cooking starts, and off when finished. Consider installing simple time switches if staff forget. According to the BBPA’s energy saving toolkit, pubs can save 5-10% on electricity just by better managing extraction and ventilation.

See deeper analysis in Extraction, Refrigeration, and Scheduling.

7. Water heating – the silent cost

Water heating can account for 10-15% of a pub’s total energy bill, according to Carbon Trust hospitality benchmarks. Lagging tanks, insulating pipework, and reducing hot water thermostat settings to 60°C (still safe for legionella prevention) are straightforward steps. Encourage staff to use dishwashers on eco settings and to run full loads. Hot water costs creep, but they creep steadily – stopping them pays off month after month.

8. Smarter scheduling = lower load

Most pubs see predictable peaks – Friday/Saturday evenings, Sunday lunches. Yet many run all equipment at full tilt throughout the week. Scheduling dishwashers, glasswashers, and even cellar maintenance around peak and off-peak times reduces load during expensive hours. Some suppliers offer time-of-use tariffs; align your operations to avoid peak-rate power where possible. Ofgem notes time-of-use alignment can shave 5–15% from annual bills for small businesses that adapt schedules.

9. Stop draughts, not customers

Pubs often bleed heat through doorways and poorly sealed windows. Simple draught proofing measures such as door curtains, closers, and sealing gaps, can cut heating loss by 10–15%, BEIS data shows. Customers still feel welcome if you use heavy curtains at entrances. These old-fashioned solutions make a modern difference.

10. Staff training: the cheapest win of all

Even the best plan fails if staff leave extractors running or lights blazing. Involve them. A quick training session on switching off unused kit, monitoring cellar temperatures, and using eco cycles costs nothing but delivers real reductions. Staff who understand the pressure of rising bills will help – they want the pub to survive too. Pubs are the beating heart of communities; protecting them means engaging everyone inside.

Where to start today

If you’re overwhelmed, begin with three steps: check your meter readings, reset your cellar thermostat, and review heating settings. Those alone can deliver immediate savings. Then, book a free audit with us. We’ll scan your bills for overcharges, compare supplier offers, and give a plain-English breakdown of where else to cut costs.

Explore more in the Energy Management hub, or cross over to Operational Cost Cutting for broader savings advice.