Ventilation, Kitchens & Refrigeration: Where Most Waste Hides

Every pub runs on food, drink, and ambience. Yet behind the bar and in the kitchen, hidden machinery quietly devours electricity. Refrigerators humming, extraction fans pulling, cellar coolers fighting heat – they rarely stop. The trouble is, much of that power use isn’t keeping your pints cold or your food fresh. It’s waste. And it’s costing you thousands a year.

We’ll show you where the waste hides, how to stop it, and what to expect when you act. These are not abstract efficiency schemes. They are practical, landlord-tested steps you can implement this week. Small adjustments here often deliver bigger savings than any lighting upgrade or thermostat tweak. If you want to protect your margins and keep the pub at the heart of your community, the kitchen and cooling systems are where you win.

The cellar cooler: your biggest silent cost

Most landlords know their cellar cooler is a heavy hitter. What’s less obvious is how often it’s working harder than necessary. A cooler set just one or two degrees too low can inflate running costs by double digits. Doors left ajar, blocked vents, and neglected servicing force the compressor to run constantly. The fix is simple: reset the thermostat to the recommended 11-13°C, make sure vents are clear, and keep that cellar door firmly shut. You don’t compromise quality – you cut waste.

See Quick Wins for other easy savings across the building.

Back-bar refrigeration: small units, big drain

Those glass-fronted fridges that make bottled beers look inviting? They’re among the least efficient units in the house. Multiply them across the bar and they quietly double your refrigeration bill. Landlords often assume new kit is automatically efficient, but unless it’s maintained and used correctly, even new fridges waste energy. Keep units defrosted, check door seals, and don’t overpack. Customers won’t buy warm bottles, but they also won’t notice if you run fridges sensibly stocked rather than bursting. Your bill will notice.

Kitchen extraction: the constant leak

Step into the kitchen during prep hours and you’ll often find extraction fans running full blast with no cooking underway. That’s money disappearing into thin air. A single commercial extractor can use as much power as several fridges combined. The answer isn’t expensive kit, it’s discipline. Switch on when the first pan hits the hob, switch off when cooking stops. If staff forget, fit a simple timer or sensor. The saving is immediate, and you still get the ventilation you need during service.

Oven hoods and make-up air

What comes out of the kitchen must be replaced by air pulled in from outside. That make-up air has to be heated in winter and cooled in summer. Every unnecessary hour of fan operation magnifies your heating and cooling bill. Coordinate hood use with actual cooking times, and make sure filters are clean so airflow isn’t restricted. Poor maintenance forces fans and HVAC systems to run longer and harder, burning through your budget.

Staff habits: the overlooked factor

No landlord can be everywhere at once. If your team doesn’t buy into energy discipline, waste creeps back. The simplest training sessions – switch off unused kit, close cooler doors, defrost freezers regularly – often save more than any capital investment. A motivated team sees themselves as guardians of the pub’s survival. Remind them that every pound saved on energy is another pound that keeps doors open and jobs secure.

The cost of inaction

Ignore these areas and your bills rise silently. Refrigeration that cycles constantly, extractors that never switch off, cellar coolers set too cold: they all add hundreds a month. For many pubs, that’s the difference between breaking even and losing money. Energy suppliers won’t tell you. Manufacturers won’t either. Only proactive action puts you back in control.

Where to take action first

Start by walking your building with new eyes. Is the cellar cooler set right? Are bar fridges overcrowded? Do fans roar long before cooking begins? These small checks uncover big leaks. Correct them, track your next bill, and you’ll see the proof in black and white. Then, book a professional audit to expose the supplier side of the problem – hidden charges, bad contracts, and overbilling that add insult to injury.

Return to the Energy Management hub, or explore Contract Negotiation to understand how supplier terms lock in higher costs.