More than 525 pubs, restaurants, and hotels throughout England will gain access to a complimentary Labour Government-backed digital tool designed to slash energy costs, following a successful pilot programme.
The initiative, which helps hospitality venues identify and eliminate wasteful electricity consumption, delivered average annual savings of nearly £2,500 for the 90 businesses that participated in a year-long trial.
The online platform, operated by Zero Carbon Services with £350,000 in government backing, sends real-time notifications alerting business owners to unnecessary energy drain from equipment such as refrigeration units, cooking appliances, extraction systems, and lighting.
Applications for the expanded scheme are now open. During the 12-month pilot, some participating venues achieved dramatic reductions in their overnight electricity consumption, with certain operators cutting usage by as much as 66 per cent.
A new scheme could give businesses £2,500 off their energy bill
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A Bromley pub reduced its overall energy use by 26 per cent, translating to weekly savings of £48 and preventing approximately £2,500 in annual profit from being wasted on unnecessary consumption.
Meanwhile, a smaller establishment in Caterham, Surrey, saw particularly striking results, with overnight energy use dropping by two-thirds and generating yearly savings exceeding £1,500.
The digital platform delivers tailored behavioural change programmes, helping operators identify energy waste hotspots and implement straightforward adjustments to their daily operations.
Minister for Industry Chris McDonald said: “We’re extending support to help more businesses slash bills and protect Britain’s hospitality sector.
Mr McDonald unveiled Labour’s plans to ‘extend support to help more businesses’
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Businesses have taken aim at the growing tax burden
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GETTY“Our pubs and restaurants are playing a leading role in cutting emissions, which is not only good for the planet but for cutting their costs too.”
Mark Chapman, CEO of Zero Carbon Services, said: “When you put energy savings into real hospitality terms, the impact becomes very clear.
“Saving around £2,000 a year is the equivalent of the profit from selling thousands of pints, or the breathing space that protects hard-won margins during quieter months.”
Mark Holden, the company director of Inn Cornwall, said: “Thanks to the energy and carbon reduction tool, we’re already looking to save £5.01 each day from a few easy-to-implement changes. We will do this across our other sites, which could mean we’ll save £5,400 a year. “
Keir Starmer unveiled cost of living support for heating oil customers yesterday
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GB NEWSHe added: “The Energy and Carbon Reduction Tool is going to help save a lot of family businesses in the hospitality sector.”
The announcement comes alongside broader government support for the sector, including a 15 per cent reduction in business rates for pubs announced in January, worth an average of £1,650 per venue in 2026/27.
Furthermore, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has committed £10million over three years to the Hospitality Support Fund in the face of growing pressure from the industyr.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also unveiled a £53million cost of living support package to assist heating oil customers in the UK earlier this week.
