We are now in the grips of the coldest months of the year. For the restaurant trade, this is often the very time when punters want to come in out of the cold, and warm their souls with some comfort food and a glass of something nice. Equally, though, the enivoronment needs to feel warm and welcoming. And keeping the non-cooking part of the restaurant warm takes money.
If you’re looking for ways to keep the bills down, there are ideas to help you do that and here at Business Gas.com, we thought we’d run through some of these below. In the process we might also debunk some fairly serious winter myths. And we’re not talking about the one about the fat man and the chimney.
Seal the windows
First off, we’re looking at keeping whatever heat there is, in the restaurant. It is true that a lot of heat escapes through the windows, so check these first. Of course replacing windows with double-glazed, draft-proof ones would be ideal, but not all independent restaurants have pockets deep enough for that, particularly in January. However, you can check for gaps and hold your hand up to feel where the cold air is coming in. Then seal those up!
Manage your thermostats
Two things here. Firstly, if your heating system has a programmable thermostat, make sure you do program it to come on and off, and at the right temperature for the season, to make sure it’s working as efficiently as possible (and do be realistic about when you really need to heat the place). More modern systems can do a lot of the thinking for you, but older thermostats will need some instruction. Secondly, if the thermostat is not programmable, still give yourself the time off from taking orders to go and set it manually, in tune for the winter season.
A good benchmark number is 68 degrees for when the premises are in use. However, each degree you turn it down will equate to a 1% saving on your bills. Another word of advice – don’t leave the heating on low, but constantly, thinking that is more efficient. It’s not. And don’t turn it right up first thing in the morning, thinking it will heat the place quicker… that will also lead to higher bills!
A warming fireplace
Following on with the theme of heating, if you’re a pub or a rustic country restaurant has an open fire, you have a built-in route to energy saving… and one your customers will love. Yes you need to pay for the firewood, but then nature handles the rest. Aside from the incredible heat they kick out, the aesthetics are pure Christmas card: the smell, the sounds of crackling wood, the look of it.
Get a better deal on your gas
At the end of the day,we all rely on our central heating and whilst following our frugal tips is common sense, it needn’t mean abandoing the heating system entirely. At Business Gas.com, we are able to secure the best gas deals for your restaurant. Through our knowledge of the gas markets and group buying power, our gas prices are highly likely to be lower than what you’re spending now.
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