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As a publican you will be well aware of the issues currently faced by the licensed trade.  The reduced spending power of the customers, set against heavy taxes and duties, and rising utility bills, all combine to exert pressure in the industry, with many pubs going to the wall as a consequence. Firstly, of course we at Utility Helpline will be able to source you're the best deal possible, but equally, you might also want to look energy efficiencies to reduce those electricity bills.  Wasted energy simply means money flying out of your business via higher energy bills.  You keep good tabs on the beer that moves through the taps and any liquid that’s wasted… why not the heat that escapes, or the lights needlessly left on? To offer some thoughts we will move slowly around the average pub and take some time to think about the various ways you might save money.  For this particular article, we will lift up the cellar hatch and consider the downstairs area of the pub.

Keep a tight cellar

In fact, let’s start with that cellar door.  OK, so we’ve opened it in order to step down the steps, but that should be the only time it’s open.  Make sure everyone – staff and suppliers alike – shut it when they've finished.  Better yet, get the doors insulated.  That way you can further prevent any heat seepage. The main issue in the cellar is likely to come from the air conditioning units.  The main thing is to simply turn off the air conditioning when it’s not needed, for instance outside of opening hours. Regularly check and clean your coolers or air conditioning units and ensure fluid levels are maintained   Ensure your air conditioning system is regularly serviced (which may in itself be a legal requirement) and try to maintain them yourself, between services.  For instance, energy efficiency will be affected by blocked filters. Equally, don’t have the air con on at the same time as the heating system, as they will simply cancel one another out and cost you a packet.   You might also want to think about the equipment that produces heat – perhaps counter-intuitively these include white goods such as fridges and freezers, which create heat in the process of keeping their own contents cool.  Try to keep such equipment elsewhere, other than the cellar.

Natural air conditioning

The best option is to let nature do the work for you, and pay your bills.  Use ventilation grills to naturally cool the cellar with outside air, and encourage the air to move around the cellar and keep it chilled.  Also, keep those ventilation grills clean, to help the air circulate around the room.  And don’t over do things.  Ideally you’re looking at around 12° C, or 20°F for an ambient temperature.  You don’t need anything lower… unless you are harbouring a colony of escaped penguins. Finally, a word of advice is not merely to take these thoughts on board yourself, but to communicate what you are trying to do with the staff in the pub.  Getting them on side, and focusing their attention on the changes you are implementing will ultimately help the success of the moves that you make.