St Austell on the charge with 300 EV points at pubs

The brewer and pub operator has teamed up with ScottishPower to help increase the number of charging ports across the area, which currently numbers only about 450 in Cornwall.

The collaboration will not only see a 60% uplift in charging points but will include the installation of both Rapid and Ultra-Rapid units.

Net zero pledge

St Austell Brewery, famed for its beers such as Tribute, korev and Proper Job, has more than 160 pubs in its estate and is committed to achieving net zero emissions across its operations by 2040.

It has already upgraded its company car fleet and installed EV chargers for employees driving hybrid or electric vehicles across all its head offices.

St Austell Brewery supply chain director Paul Hine said: “We have a proud history of innovation so working with ScottishPower to install electric car chargers was a great way to prepare our pubs for an electric future. For us, going greener makes good business sense.

Electric tourist trail

“We know that investing in this green tech will help us reduce our carbon footprint and thanks to ScottishPower we have been able to do this at scale. We’re proud to be providing charging points for our local communities and creating an ‘electric tourist trail’ for anybody visiting our sites and this beautiful part of the country. What better excuse to visit the pub for a well-deserved break and a spot of lunch?”

Andrew Mouat, head of smart mobility at ScottishPower, added: “Since the beginning of our partnership, the team at St Austell Brewery always had clear goals of wanting to bring something special to their business and the local community in the south-west.

“We want to help businesses integrate green tech into their operations to allow their customers to live a more sustainable lifestyle while creating a new revenue stream. We help business leaders find the best chargers for their carparks, manage and cover the cost of installation, and service the units for the term of the contract.”