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Hundreds more pubs, restaurants and hotels to receive access to free energy saving and carbon reduction tool to drive down cost of doing business.
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Businesses estimated to cut energy bills on average by almost £2,500 per year.
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Over 500 businesses to benefit following a successful trial phase that saw some operators cut their overnight energy usage by 66%.
More than 525 small and medium sized pubs, restaurants and hotels are set to receive free support to cut their energy bills through the extension of a government-funded energy and carbon reduction tool.
An innovative new digital energy saving tool has already helped slash the average energy bills of 90 hospitality businesses by nearly £2,500 during a 12-month trial period, by reducing overnight energy consumption for some trialists by up to 66%.
With support from government, Zero Carbon Services delivered behavioural change focused energy saving plans tailored to participants through the digital tool, providing real-time alerts to reduce unnecessary electricity use from wasted energy hotspots including extraction systems, fridges, ovens and lamps.
Following the success of the trial, it is now being extended to hundreds of hospitality businesses across England – with applications now open – supporting the government’s clean energy mission while helping business owners cut costs.
Participants of the trial included a pub in Bromley that cut its energy usage by 26%, saving them £48 per week – over a year, that reduction will prevent nearly £2,500 of yearly profit being lost to energy waste.
Another smaller pub in Caterham, Surrey saw its overnight energy use fall by 66%, meaning savings of over £1,500 a year.
Minister for Industry Chris McDonald said:
We’re extending support to help more businesses slash bills and protect Britain’s hospitality sector.
Our pubs and restaurants are playing a leading role in cutting emissions, which is not only good for the planet but for cutting their costs too.
Alongside this, our clean power mission will protect businesses in the long-term. The conflict in the Middle East is yet another reminder that the only route to energy sovereignty is to end our dependence on fossil fuel markets we do not control and transition to clean homegrown power.
Mark Chapman, CEO of Carbon Zero Services, said:
When you put energy savings into real hospitality terms, the impact becomes very clear. Saving around £2,000 a year is the equivalent of the profit from selling thousands of pints, or the breathing space that protects hard-won margins during quieter months.
We’re showing that climate action doesn’t have to be a trade-off. When energy is managed better, businesses become more efficient, more resilient and better placed to invest back into their teams, their venues and their future.
Mark Holden, Company Director of Inn Cornwall, said:
Thanks to the energy and carbon reduction tool, we’re already looking to save £5.01 each day from a few easy-to-implement changes. We will do this across our other sites, which could mean we’ll save £5,400 a year. The Energy and Carbon Reduction Tool is going to help save a lot of family businesses in the hospitality sector.
Many smaller businesses have lacked access to affordable, straightforward support to manage their energy use. By funding this project, the government is helping pubs, bars and restaurants across England reduce bills and cut emissions.
Delivered by Zero Carbon Services, backed by £350,000 of government funding, the new online tool will enable businesses owners in communities across the country to keep more profits in their pockets.
Meanwhile, 20 businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland including baked beans giants Heinz and global beer brewers Coors, have also today received grants worth £23.4 million in funding from the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund to support carbon cutting and energy saving projects.
It follows the 15% cut to new business rates for pubs, announced in January that will save the average pub an additional £1,650 in 2026/27.
The Chancellor also announced a £10 million package of funding for the Hospitality Support Fund over three years – upped from £1.5 million for one year announced last April – to support pubs, restaurants and hotels across the UK.
The additional funding aims to help over 1,000 pubs provide extra services for local communities, including creating community cafes, village stores and play areas to help pubs bring locals and families together and boost their footfall.
Notes to editors
The winners from the Phase 3: of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) are:
IETF winner
Grant provided
Region
Project type
Dairy Crest Limited
£1,088,000
Davidstow, South West
Deep decarbonisation deployment
Dairy Crest Limited
£626,330
Wensleydale, Yorkshire and The Humber
Deep decarbonisation deployment
2 Sisters Food Group Limited
£610,180
Sandycroft, Wales
Deep decarbonisation deployment
Wienerberger Limited
£2,372,000
Denton, North West
Deep decarbonisation deployment
Wienerberger Limited
£1,012,815
Dosthill, Yorkshire and The Humber
Deep decarbonisation deployment
Wienerberger Limited
£453,150
Epworth, Yorkshire and The Humber
Deep decarbonisation deployment
Eternis Fine Chemicals UK Limited
£213,634
Leek, West Midlands
Deep decarbonisation deployment
Molson Coors Brewing Company UK Limited
£8,557,525
Burton upon Trent, West Midlands
Deep decarbonisation deployment
Holcim Limited
£576,091
Plymouth, South West
Deep decarbonisation study
AG Barr PLC
£2,181,664
Milton Keynes, South East
Energy efficiency deployment
FP McCann Limited
£845,153
Magherafelt, Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Energy efficiency deployment
Massmould Limited
£451,929
Norwich, East of England
Energy efficiency deployment
Glatfelter Lydney Limited
£366,901
Lydney, South West
Energy efficiency deployment
H.J. Heinz Manufacturing Limited
£997,767
Wigan, North West
Energy efficiency deployment
Samworth Brothers Limited
£46,376
Callington, Cornwall, South West
Deep decarbonisation study
B&M Longworth Limited
£308,048
Blackburn, North West
Deep decarbonisation study
Britvic Soft Drinks Limited
£33,205
Leeds, Yorkshire and The Humber
Deep decarbonisation study
Holcim Limited
£2,462,705
Cauldon, West Midlands
Deep decarbonisation study
Future Greens Farms Limited
£140,884
Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber
Energy efficiency study
Clifton Packaging Group Limited
£49,611
Leicester, East Midlands
Energy efficiency study
There are 20 winners worth £23.4 million in IETF funding supporting project costs of £60.7 million for projects, subject to contracts being signed. The full list of all IETF winning projects can be found on gov.uk.
