Business electricity for hospitality, pubs and restaurants

A regional pub group we work with runs eight sites across the Midlands. Each pub had its own electricity contract, signed at different points. Three were on rolled-over default rates, the others on fixed terms expiring at different times of year. Standard hospitality position. No central procurement, every renewal handled in isolation.

Hospitality electricity is shaped by refrigeration. Cellar coolers, walk-in fridges, ice machines, drinks displays. They run continuously and dominate the bill. Kitchens contribute heavy peaks during service. Lighting and HVAC fill in the rest. Most sites sit just under the half-hourly threshold but a few crossover sites carry capacity charges.

This page covers how we help UK pubs, bars and restaurants review their electricity contracts. The mechanics of switching are in our business electricity switching guide. Our business electricity service covers the open UK market across every commercial sector.

How we help hospitality operators

We pull every site’s electricity bill and MPAN into one view. For independents that’s one site; for groups it’s often a dozen or more across different regions and suppliers. We work through the contract type, the unit rate, standing charge, and any half-hourly settlement where it applies.

For multi-site groups we’ll coordinate a portfolio switch with a single renewal date. Usually the cleanest move administratively, often improves the rate via aggregated volume.

Why hospitality electricity is different

Cellar cooling, walk-ins and refrigeration

Refrigeration is the silent driver of the bill. Beer cellars cool to a steady temperature regardless of trading. Walk-in fridges run 24/7. Open chiller cabinets in shop-style outlets carry a constant load. None of this changes with the supplier. But a competitive unit rate applied to that continuous load makes a meaningful difference.

We don’t engineer cooling efficiency improvements. That sits with facilities. Our job is to make sure the kWh hitting that load is priced sensibly.

Portfolio consolidation across pub groups and chains

Each pub or restaurant in a multi-site group was likely contracted independently. Renewal dates drift. Suppliers vary. Consolidating onto one supplier with one annual review cycle simplifies admin and gives consistent pricing.

How a hospitality electricity review works