SUCCESS STORY

Reducing energy costs through simple changes: Coach & Horses

The Coach & Horses is a community pub near Crewe. They needed to reduce operating costs by cutting avoidable energy use and waste.

Impact at a glance

• Cut energy costs by over £500 per month by removing unnecessary equipment, reducing heat loss, and automating usage
• Reduced waste and operational risk through fewer chilled appliances, local sourcing, and reuse initiatives

The business

The Coach & Horses is a traditional community pub serving a rural area near Crewe.

The business provides food and drink to local customers, combining a hospitality offer with community-focused services.

Sector: Hospitality (pub)

Location: North West

Size: 17 employees

Why they took action

The business aimed to reduce operating costs by cutting avoidable energy use and waste. In a small hospitality setting, unnecessary equipment, heat loss, and reliance on manual processes were increasing costs and reducing efficiency.

Improving control over energy use and reducing waste provided a direct route to improving margins.

What they did

No cost to low cost actions

Moved unnecessary fridges and freezers from the cellar, reducing electricity demand and lowering the risk of stock being wasted.

Installed draught seals and self-closing mechanisms on doors to reduce heat loss and stabilise internal temperatures.

Fitted timers to equipment so appliances switch off automatically, reducing unnecessary running time and reliance on manual switching.

Sourced food locally and used home-grown produce where possible, reducing supply-chain costs and food miles.

Captured rainwater using on-site drainage and storage for reuse in maintaining outdoor spaces.

Recycled used cooking oil and encouraged customers to bring waste oil for collection, reducing disposal costs and supporting reuse.

GENERAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR BUSINESSES WHO TRACK AND REDUCE FOOD WASTE

Businesses can achieve a £14 return for every £1 invested in reducing food waste.

Source: WRAP

What difference it made

The business reduced its energy bill by over £500 per month through a combination of equipment removal, heat-loss reduction, and automated controls.

Reducing the number of chilled appliances lowered both electricity use and operational risk, with fewer failure points and less likelihood of stock spoilage.

Local sourcing, on-site growing, and waste reduction measures have lowered input costs and reduced waste. Community-facing initiatives, such as oil recycling, have also increased customer engagement and reinforced the pub’s role within the local area.

How were the changes funded?

Most measures were implemented at little or no cost through changes to equipment use and day-to-day operations. Minor investments, such as timers and draught-proofing, were funded directly by the business.

Lessons for other businesses

The Coach & Horses shows how small hospitality businesses can improve margins by reducing unnecessary energy use and preventing waste. Removing unused equipment, improving basic building efficiency, and automating controls can deliver immediate cost savings without significant capital investment.

Find out more about The Coach & Horses