A PUB has slapped punters with a £1 bill for every half hour they sit under outdoor heaters – leaving customers divided.
Hyde Bar Norton in Stockton-on-Tees said it “cannot sustain” the cost of running the heaters – so will pass it on to drinkers.
Google Street viewThis pub is charging punters to use its outdoor heaters[/caption]
It announced the move in a Facebook postfacebook/Hydes Bar Norton
Customers who want to stay warm outside will now have to buy £1 tokens at the bar, powering the heaters for 30 minutes.
Writing on Facebook, the pub said: “Energy charges are now two and a half times what we were paying last year.
“We have made the decision to install token meters for the outdoor canopy heaters.
“Tokens can be purchased at the bar for £1, which provides 30 minutes.
“The decision was not taken lightly, the only other option being a blanket increase to drinks prices.
“The heaters will be available all day.
“Despite the bar being almost empty and heated inside, during quiet daytimes we have had people asking for the outdoor heaters to be put on.
“The running costs for these on an average month would exceed £1,000, a cost we cannot sustain.
“Like many hospitality venues, our operating costs have substantially increased over the last 18 months.
“We appreciate that not everyone will agree with this – some will want to have a good moan.
“But as a small independent business, we have to keep our costs low where we can and account for rising charges.”
Regulars at the County Durham pub backed the controversial move.
Rhi said: “Sounds fair enough to me, thank you for letting us know.”
John said: “Why not go back to old pub times instead of keeping up with Wetherspoons?
“I believe the all day opening killed pubs who couldn’t manage it.”
Banty said: “Put your thermals on.”
Fuming residents say their picturesque town will be destroyed by a tiny pub – claiming it will be like Wetherspoons at 1am.
Britain’s new “wonkiest pub” has gone up for sale for just £178,000 after the Crooked House boozer burned down in a suspected arson.
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