Energy Costs

Ofgem proposals ‘much needed’ to deliver fairness to hospitality businesses

08-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

Proposals by Ofgem to expand rules on standards of conduct to all businesses and increase transparency for those using third-party brokers have been described as ‘much needed’ to hospitality operators.

350 hospitality businesses respond to Ofgem's energy consultation

06-Sep-2023 By Restaurant

More than 350 hospitality businesses have responded to Ofgem’s consultation, urging the watchdog to take swift action to improve the energy market.

Hospitality businesses urged to back #FiveAsksForOfgem

09-Aug-2023 By James McAllister

UKHospitality is calling on the sector to support its demand for Ofgem to rapidly implement the recommendations from its energy market review.

UKH: Ofgem recommendations ‘must be actioned urgently to avoid further business failures’

26-Jul-2023 By James McAllister

UKHospitality (UKH) has warned recommendations made by Ofgem in its non-domestic market review ‘must be actioned urgently’ if the sector is to avoid further business failures.

UKH pushes Government on energy bills support

14-Jul-2023 By Hannah Currie

UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls has called on the Government to extend new financial help to businesses by amending the terms of emergency loan schemes set up during the pandemic.

Sacha Lord vows to help operators battle energy company commission scandal

26-May-2023 By James McAllister

Sacha Lord has said he is finalising a plan to help hospitality businesses recover hidden commissions paid to brokers by energy companies.

Rising cost pressures force Cardiff restaurant Bully’s to close after almost 30 years

09-May-2023 By James McAllister

Family-run Cardiff restaurant Bully’s has permanently closed its doors after almost 30 years as a result of rising cost pressures.

UKHospitality demands ‘meaningful action’ to rein in ‘profiteering energy suppliers’

31-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

UKHospitality has warned that without meaningful action to rein in ‘profiteering energy suppliers’, the sector will no doubt see thousands of venues go out of business this year.

Energy companies face £2bn legal claim over businesses paying 'secret commissions' to brokers

14-Feb-2023 By James McAllister

Energy companies are facing a £2bn legal claim over allegations they paid 'secret commissions' to third-party brokers and passed on the cost to billpayers.

Hospitality energy bills to almost double once support falls away

31-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

Businesses expect a further rise of 82% in their energy bills when the Government’s support is significantly reduced in April, a new hospitality sector survey reveals.

Sacha Lord demands urgent inquiry as 2,000 small businesses fail to receive appropriate energy discounts

23-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

Sacha Lord, the Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, has called for an urgent inquiry into evidence of withheld energy support for struggling hospitality businesses.

Independent businesses battered as cost pressures drive hospitality closures above Covid-hit years

20-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

Mounting cost pressures led to a net decline of 1,611 licensed premises in the fourth quarter of 2022, new figures show, with independent businesses bearing the brunt of the pain.

Revolution Bars shutters sites on Mondays and Tuesdays to manage energy usage

17-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

Revolution Bars Group is closing a number of its sites on Mondays and Tuesdays through January and into February to help manage its energy usage.

Hospitality faces '£4.5bn bill hike' as Government slashes energy support

10-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

The hospitality sector 'faces a £4.5bn hike in its bills' from April after the Government confirmed it would slash the level of energy support businesses receive.

Chancellor warns energy support ‘unsustainably expensive’

05-Jan-2023 By Finn Scott-Delany

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has told business leaders the current level of energy support is 'unsustainably expensive' and that the current £18bn scheme was always limited to six months.

Decision on further energy bill support for businesses postponed until New Year

20-Dec-2022 By Restaurant

A decision on extending help for businesses facing soaring energy bills will not be made until the new year, the Treasury has said.

Ofgem to investigate bad practice by energy suppliers

18-Nov-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Ofgem is to investigate reports from some businesses about bad practice from energy suppliers.

Hospitality firms 'most likely to cut trading to tackle energy costs'

15-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

Hospitality firms are the most likely to cut trading in order to help mitigate the impact of rising energy costs, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Energy suppliers undermining benefits of Energy Bill Relief Scheme

07-Nov-2022 By Georgi Gyton

Whitehall is investigating claims that energy companies are charging inflated prices for fixed rate deals, with UKHospitality calling for an investigation

The Lowdown: hospitality’s winter of discontent

04-Nov-2022 By James McAllister

With costs continuing to rise and staffing struggles persisting, restaurants are choosing to either go into hibernation mode for the winter or, worse, shut-up shop completely.

The Lowdown: the Energy Bill Relief Scheme

22-Sep-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Liz Truss, Kwasi Kwarteng and Jacob Rees-Mogg have set out their plans to help businesses with spiralling energy costs.

Hospitality demands 'urgent clarity' on energy support as businesses face 'financial cliff edge'

20-Sep-2022 By James McAllister

Hospitality trade bodies have written a joint letter to the Chancellor ahead this week's planned fiscal statement warning a lack of clarity on energy support could be fatal for businesses.

Hospitality insolvencies rise as energy bills rocket

16-Sep-2022 By James McAllister

Insolvencies of pubs, bars and restaurants have increased 59% in the past year, according to data from the Insolvency Service, amid rocketing energy prices.

Government to set out details on business energy support at mini-budget next Friday

16-Sep-2022 By James McAllister

The Government is set to deliver a mini-budget on Friday 23 September, which will include details of Prime Minister Liz Truss's plan to support businesses struggling with soaring energy costs.

Business leaders calls for clarity over energy support

13-Sep-2022 By Restaurant

Business leaders have urged the Government to set out further detail over the extent of support firms will receive to pay soaring energy bills.

Liz Truss unveils six-month energy support plan for businesses

08-Sep-2022 By Restaurant

Businesses are to get a six-month support package to reduce their energy bills, Prime Minister Liz Truss has announced.

Hospitality sector faces 'hundreds of thousands of closures' unless Government acts on energy crisis

08-Sep-2022 By Restaurant

Hospitality leaders are piling pressure on the Government and newly-appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss to act on spiralling energy costs, saying that hundreds of thousands of businesses will close if it doesn’t.

Viable businesses 'face ruin', hospitality bosses warn

06-Sep-2022 By James McAllister

The bosses of KFC, Itsu, Just Eat, Pret a Manger, Pizza Hut and the Kebab Alliance have demanded a rapid VAT cut to protect businesses facing unprecedented short-term headwinds.

Hospitality warns Government 'must act quickly and decisively' as Liz Truss named next UK Prime Minister

05-Sep-2022 By James McAllister

Hospitality trade bodies have warned the new Government 'must act quickly and decisively' to address soaring energy bills, after Liz Truss was named the UK's next Prime Minister.

Night time economy's future 'finely balanced' as operators demand support package

05-Sep-2022 By James McAllister

More than 6,000 night time economy and hospitality businesses have written to their MPs demanding an emergency financial package to support them through the current cost of living crisis.

Time at the bar: three quarters of pubs facing extinction

24-Aug-2022 By Ed Bedington

More than 70% of operators do not expect to make it through the winter without Government intervention, according to a new survey.

Rapidly escalating energy bills 'killing pubs', warns BII

11-Aug-2022 By James McAllister

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has warned that spiralling energy costs are 'killing our nations’ pub' and called on the Government to provide urgent, essential support to businesses.

Star Pubs & Bars announces energy deal to aid licensees

23-Jun-2022 By Shwetali Sapte

Star Pubs & Bars has announced a new energy supply deal with British Gas to help licensees mitigate the energy crisis.

UKHospitality Scotland calls for Covid underspend to be used to ease energy costs

17-Jun-2022 By James McAllister

UKHospitality Scotland has called on the country's devolved government to repurpose underspend from Covid support funds to help ease hospitality's spiraling energy and supply costs.

Calls for VAT reduction on business energy bills as inflation hits 40-year high

19-May-2022 By James McAllister

Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester's night time economy adviser, has called on the Government to implement a temporary reduction in VAT on business energy bills in the face of rocketing inflation.