Pub's eco-friendly makeover after one power cut too many

9:21am Monday 12th February 2007

A PUB landlord who reached the end of his tether with crippling power cuts and rising energy prices took matters into his own hands and embraced green technology.

David Hawksworth lost nearly £30,000 in 2005 due to irregular power supplies and frequent power cuts at the pub he has run for six years, the Fox and Hounds, in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

He changed the pub into an eco-friendly premises that could supply its own energy and recycle wherever possible. Eventually, the pub will incorporate wind power and solar panels.

After losing so much money due to an unreliable power supply, the pub installed a six-cylinder diesel generator that runs at peak times.

Mr Hawksworth is even looking into the possibility of converting waste chip frying oil into bio-diesel. The pub uses 40 to 60 litres of cooking oil a week, which is currently disposed of as waste.

He said: "As a small rural pub, we find it difficult to make ends meet, but we have put so much into this pub.

"We have done a massive amount of research and we will keep pushing. The results have been amazing."

The pub will use heat generated from treating sewage waste. Water to flush the toilets will be supplied from rainwater and run-off water from the land that can be collected and stored.

Mr Hawksworth has also installed low-energy lightbulbs and most outside floodlights have been changed to low- energy lighting.

There are also plans to build eight luxury holiday log cabins on 6.5 acres of land next the pub, all fully eco-friendly, with windpower, solar panels and an energy management system.

The Fox and Hounds is part of the Prince's Trust's Pub is the Hub scheme, which aims to stop the decline of rural pubs. Mr Hawksworth has also signed up to Hospitable Climates, a free energy-saving programme supported by the Carbon Trust.

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