The Chequers Inn, a 15th-century pub in Lamberhurst, Kent, could be forced to close after being handed a £55,000 energy bill. Owners Becky Gomery and Rich Spicer are disputing the amount after supplier Yorkshire Gas and Power (YGP) said they owed £55,589.77.
The couple, who took over the pub last year, say a faulty smart meter is to blame for the charges. Unless the bill is cancelled, they say it could force them to shut the 612-year-old pub, and its 20 staff could lose their jobs.
Energy ombudsman intervention
The energy ombudsman has told the energy company to send an engineer to inspect the meter within 28 days. Ms Gomery said: “We won’t be able to operate as a business or live here in our homes. So it’s catastrophic, really, if the electricity is switched off. That will be the end of the pub.”
The owners had been paying Yorkshire Gas and Power around £2,000 per month, similar to the previous owner’s rates, for one year, based on their smart meter’s usage figures. But in April this year, the couple were asked to share meter readings and told they needed to settle an extra £38,000 in unpaid backdated fees.
Dispute and debt collectors
The amount has now ballooned to £55,589.77 after being sent to collections. Ms Gomery said she asked the energy company to check their readings again but did not receive a reasonable response. She said a meter inspector and an independent electrician both found the meter faulty.
After being advised to contact the energy ombudsman, they received a decision that they were “not satisfied that YGP investigated the apparent mismatch between the meter registers and the three-rate billing arrangement adequately or promptly”.
According to Ms Gomery, no one from the energy company has come to look at their meter yet. Instead, debt collectors have “aggressively entered the pub, demanding to look at the meter”.
Tight margins and next steps
The owners say their margins are “very tight”, with their cheapest pint of lager at £4.50, meaning the £55,000 bill would be unaffordable. Ms Gomery added: “Every day is a bit of a struggle because running a pub is difficult and there’s not very much money to be made.” Yorkshire Gas and Power have been contacted for comment.
