The Marlow-based pub owned by Michelin star chef Tom Kerridge has achieved more than £50,000 in energy cost savings over the past year through smarter energy consumption, short-term fixed price contracts and specialist consultancy advice.
The Hand & Flowers ordered decided it needed to act fast after the stark realisation that its energy bills were going to rise from £5,000 per month to £35,000 per month.
Managing director, Alan Dooley, reached out to energy and sustainability consultancy Advantage Utilities, which immediately secured a short-term energy contract to cover the winter period from 1 December 2022 to 31 March 2023 and began to look at its energy usage in granular detail.
The company was also entitled to the Energy Bill Relief Scheme during this period.
A full review of all its businesses was carried out, looking at everything from kitchen consumption, external lighting and heating to computer usage, iPad usage and peak times of usage.
“For us as an independent operator it was a huge eye-opener to where we could save on our usage,” he said. “This was a very good start and has helped kick-start a culture change in how we use our energy.”
The savings identified amounted to 27% of total energy consumption recorded over a 12-month period, equivalent to a monetary saving of £51,175.
Such savings included LED lighting, air conditioning optimisation, fridge efficiency, solar energy installation and voltage optimisation.
“Energy purchasing has now become an integral part of our business,” said Mr Dooley, who added that the company now receives a weekly report on the market looking at where prices are going.
“We now buy energy the same way we look at our food and beer prices, it has become that important. We monitor it all the time.
“We have heard so many horror stories on small independent businesses, like ours, struggling to plan.
“The issues are here to stay, and we need to have expert advice at hand. It is very reassuring that there is someone we can turn to, and who can advise us on the best route forward during this incredibly difficult period.”
In 2011, The Hand & Flowers was the first pub to receive two stars in the Michelin Guide, an accolade that it still holds today.
Mr Kerridge opened his second pub, The Coach, in 2014 which received a Michelin star in 2017. In the same year, he opened The Butcher’s Tap & Grill in Marlow, which is a fully operational butchers and pub under one roof.
And in 2018, Tom opened his first restaurant in the capital at Corinthia London, Kerridge’ s Bar & Grill, followed by Kerridge’ s Fish & Chips at Harrods in 2021.
