A historic pub in Kent could be forced to close after its owners were handed a £55,589.77 energy bill. Becky Gomery and Rich Spicer, who run The Chequers Inn in Lamberhurst, dispute the amount and blame a faulty smart meter for the charges.
The couple had been paying supplier Yorkshire Gas and Power around £2,000 per month for a year, based on the smart meter's usage figures. They said their bills were similar to those of the previous owner. However, in April this year, they were asked to share meter readings and told they needed to settle an extra £38,000 in unpaid, backdated fees. The amount has since grown to £55,589.77 after being sent to collections.
Faulty meter findings
Becky said she asked the energy company to check their readings again but did not receive a reasonable response. She said both a meter inspector and an independent electrician found the meter faulty. The energy ombudsman has told Yorkshire Gas and Power to send an engineer to inspect the meter within 28 days.
The couple received a decision from the ombudsman that it was "not satisfied that YGP investigated the apparent mismatch between the meter registers and the three-rate billing arrangement adequately or promptly."
Debt collectors and staff jobs at risk
According to Becky, nobody from the energy company has come to look at the meter yet. Instead, debt collectors have "aggressively entered the pub, demanding to look at the meter." The venue's 20 staff also face losing their jobs unless the bill is rescinded.
Becky 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." She 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."
Supplier response and industry closures
A Yorkshire Gas and Power spokesperson said the company takes any customer concern seriously. They added: "For data protection and confidentiality reasons, we are unable to discuss any specific information about an individual customer's account. As the matter is under review by the Energy Ombudsman, it would also not be appropriate to comment on the substance of the dispute while that process is ongoing. We will, of course, engage fully with the Ombudsman's process."
The spokesperson confirmed that "enforcement and debt collection activity has been suspended on this account while our review and the Ombudsman's process are ongoing." They encouraged customers in debt to contact their debt helpline, adding that repayment plans may be available subject to certain criteria.
The closure threat comes as industry figures reveal a pub is expected to close almost every day this year, resulting in the loss of 5,000 jobs. The British Beer and Pub Association estimates that by the end of 2026 about 360 pubs will close, with more than half of the 5,000 job losses made up of people aged under 25. The Association warns closures will cost the exchequer nearly £72 million in tax.
England has lost 226 pubs in total, with the South East seeing the highest number of closures at 42. The region is followed by the North West with 39, while the North East has seen the fewest closures at 11. Scotland and Wales have seen 64 and five pub closures respectively, according to the Association.
