Host goes self-sufficient
A North Yorkshire host is on a quest to supply all his pub's own energy needs.
David Hawksworth is already saving about 25% on electricity bills - and ensuring that power cuts have no effect on him - after fitting his own diesel generator.
He now plans to embrace green technology, including the conversion of used cooking oil into fuel, to reduce costs further at the Fox & Hounds in Northallerton.
Hawksworth fitted a six-cylinder diesel generator, which cost £11,750, in January 2006 in response to frequent power cuts that lost him nearly £30,000 during the previous year.
The host reckons the diesel generator went a long way to paying for itself during 2006, when four power cuts would have meant losing up to £8,000 worth of trade.
The generator has also meant big savings on bills at the freehold pub.
Monthly bills in winter are now £200 and he spends £700 a month on diesel. They would be £1,200 if he didn't have the generator.
Hawksworth is now looking into the possibility of having a local farmer convert used cooking oil into bio-diesel. This would cost less than standard diesel and be better for the environment.
Other plans include using the heat generated from treating sewage waste to power the pub, and using rainwater for flushing the toilet.
He intends to incorporate wind power and solar panels at the pub and for the eight holiday log cabins that he plans to build on land next door. Low energy light bulbs have also been fitted throughout
Hawksworth said the measures will reduce the impact of recent utility price hikes.
no energy price cuts for pubs
Hawksworth criticised British Gas for not giving businesses access to the same price cuts as domestic users.
Last week British Gas announced that from 12 March its standard tariffs for residential customers will fall 17% for gas and 11% for electricity, but the cuts do not affect business users.
"We use them more, so we should get more discounts," said Hawksworth.
A British Gas spokesman pointed out that businesses sign up to long, fixed-rate contracts that aren't affected by short-term fluctuations in wholesale prices.
