Pubs, cafes, restaurants and hotels across the UK will have lower
energy bills thanks to a new emissions cutting trial as part of
the government's Plan for Change.
Over 600 small and medium sized hospitality businesses will
receive free energy and carbon reduction assessments to cut
energy costs, support productivity and boost growth.
Funded by the government and delivered by Zero Carbon Services,
one of the UK's leading net-zero advisers for the hospitality
sector, the trial is expected to save businesses over £3 million.
This will help pubs and restaurants to keep more money in their
pockets – while allowing them to invest in jobs and continue to
be the hubs of communities.
Minister for Industry said:
Pubs, restaurants and cafes are a cornerstone for communities
across the country, with the hospitality sector employing
millions of people and contributing billions to the
economy.
By providing business owners with expert advice to cut bills and
reduce emissions, this will help them keep more money in their
pockets to grow their business, employ local people and continue
to serve your pint of lager or fish and chips.
Zero Carbon Services CEO said:
Climate change is already impacting hospitality with extreme
weather events reducing sales and increasing food supply costs.
Combined with other cost increases, there has never been a more
important time to both recover lost profits and take credible
action on reducing carbon emissions, the key cause of climate
change.
We've already helped thousands of UK pubs, restaurants and
hotels, to cut carbon and costs and thanks to this scheme, we can
now offer that support for free to even more independent
businesses.
Most venues have opportunities to save energy, food and money
without realising it. By combining smart data with one-to-one
coaching, we help operators take simple, practical steps to
reduce waste, lower emissions, and improve day-to-day efficiency.
It's about making small changes that add up — cutting waste,
protecting profits and building a stronger, more resilient
sector.
Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said:
Hospitality businesses have already made great strides to reduce
their emissions but are keen to go further and faster in order to
save costs and become more sustainable.
We're pleased to support this new trial that can help businesses
further cut their emissions, and we're looking forward to working
with the government and Zero Carbon Services
on its rollout.
Emma McClarkin, CEO
of the British Beer and Pub Association, said:
This initiative is welcome and will give valuable insights into
the ways the sector can become more energy efficient which could
help to cut down on energy bills.
This is no small sum and we're pleased that government has acted
on our calls to support the sector through boosting funding to
undertake this kind of work.
Steve Alton, CEO of
British Institute of Innkeeping, said:
Running a lean, sustainable pub business is vital for operators
across the UK. We have supported our members with their carbon
measurement and reduction over the past 2 years as part of our
Sustainability Champions programme, so we are delighted that Zero
Carbon Services can now offer more support via free assessments
and coaching to over 600 operators.
The hospitality sector is largely made up of SMEs and supports 3.5
million jobs, while contributing £93 billion to the UK
economy.
The scheme will support businesses to make cost effective changes
such as fixing insulation gaps, upgrading to low energy lighting
or tweaking heating settings that will add up to significant
savings over the year.
A recent report from the Federation of Small Businesses found
that 64% of small businesses believe sustainability should be a
high priority for the government, but only 26% of small
businesses believe they have the appropriate knowledge to
transition their business to net zero.
The Zero Carbon Services Hospitality trial will help hospitality
businesses by putting business owners in direct contact with the
expertise of trusted energy and sustainability advisers.
The launch of the trial comes ahead of the government's modern
Industrial Strategy, which will turbocharge growth in the UK's
key sectors including clean energy. Meanwhile, a renewed
Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy will set the strategic
direction for the government's approach to working with industry
towards a competitive and low carbon industrial base in the UK,
ensuring growth opportunities are captured in tandem with
emissions reductions.
Notes to editor
The government has provided £350,000 to fund the Zero Carbon Services
Hospitality trial, which will run from May 2025 to March
2026.
