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Cutting Energy Costs in Pubs, Cafés and Restaurants

Hospitality carries some of the highest energy intensity per square metre in the UK. Here is where the money actually goes.

16 June 2026 7 min read

Refrigeration and kitchen extract dominate

In a typical kitchen, refrigeration, extract ventilation and hot water account for the majority of electricity use. Extract fans running at full speed during prep hours, when there is little cooking load, are one of the most common avoidable costs.

Practical measures with fast payback

Small operational changes usually beat capital projects in this sector.

  • Stagger equipment start-up rather than switching everything on at open
  • Fit variable speed control on extract where permitted
  • Service fridge seals and condenser coils quarterly
  • Move deep cleaning to off-peak hours where a time-of-use tariff applies

Procurement still does the heavy lifting

Hospitality margins are thin enough that a 15% procurement saving often exceeds a year of efficiency gains. Review both, but do not delay the contract review while waiting on a capital project.

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