Pubs most popular venue to charge electronic devices, says new survey

More than half of those surveyed (52%) admitted to charging electronic devices – including laptops and mobile phones - in public venues, and 25% of those said they normally did so in pubs, making it the top charging destination. Hotel lobbies (24%), cafes and restaurants (21%) and libraries (15%) were also popular charging venues.

More than a third said they were more likely to visit a business which lets them plug in, and a further 14% said they would consider spending more with a business in return. The average charging time for consumers surveyed was 28 minutes.

Cost​

However ‘cheeky charging’ could cost British businesses up to £12.5m a year, the energy supplier has estimated.

Laptops are the most expensive gadget to charge, costing nearly 50p per half an hour, per customer. However, more people use public venues to charge their mobile phone (86%), with less than a third choosing to charge their laptop (32%) and a fifth charging a tablet (20%).

Business strain​

Sue Bird, landlady of the Royal Oak pub in Knaphill, Surrey, said she has noticed the trend and is concerned about the strain it is putting on her business.

“There does seem to be a general expectation from customers now that they should be able to charge their phones or tablets whilst having a drink,” she said.

“It is not uncommon for us to find several of our plugs in use, despite the fact no one has actually asked to use them. Not only that, many of our customers even expect us to provide the chargers themselves!

“This belief that pubs and local businesses should provide their customers with unlimited energy puts myself and other small business owners in a tricky situation. Whilst we want our customers to be happy enough with the level of service provided that they keep returning, we are aware there are also financial implications of going the extra mile in this way.” 

Monitoring energy use​

Anthony Ainsworth, sales and marketing director at E.ON UK, said: “There are clearly some benefits in terms of attracting and retaining customers, but while businesses may feel compelled to let visitors plug in to their heart’s content they should also be aware that it comes at a cost.

“Closely monitoring energy consumption and keeping on top of bills will give businesses the insight they need to cut waste where possible and use no more energy than they need.”