More businesses report Calor Gas problems

The owners of a pub say ongoing problems with Calor gas deliveries is threatening the future of their business.

Jake and Lindsay Lancaster run the Red Lion in Hockwold near Thetford, Norfolk.

Since they took it over in August 2023 they have run out of gas four times, forcing their kitchen to close.

Calor Gas has apologised and blamed "regional supply pressures" for the shortages.

Mr Lancaster said the pub misses out on thousands of pounds of custom when the gas runs out and the kitchen closes.

"It was a gorgeous Saturday and we had to cancel reservations and shut our bookings in the hopes that we would have enough gas to serve the 140 people we had booked in on Sunday," he said.

"It's a reoccurring pattern, it always seems to happen when we are fully booked."

Mrs Lancaster said that customers had been very understanding but that the business was being damaged.

She said making calls to cancel bookings "is not the most fun".

"We hope that people will understand and give us another chance," she said.

"Jake is trying to do the cooking so it all adds extra stress on him."

Mr Lancaster said his call log showed he has tried to contact Calor around 1,000 times for updates with deliveries and to put pressure on them to come out sooner.

The LPG tank in the pub grounds has a telemetry system which allows Calor to see how much gas remains and schedule a delivery before it runs out.

This should be automated - but customers can also monitor their own usage and ask for a delivery when their supply is running out.

In a statement Calor Gas said: "We would like to apologise to Mr Lancaster and the team at the Red Lion for the service delivery issues they have experienced.

"We recognise that regional supply pressures have impacted a small proportion of our customers with late deliveries."

The BBC has reported problems with Calor Gas deliveries in Norfolk previously.

David Holliday , the owner of Moongazer Ales, based in Hingdringham, near Fakenham, has also been affected by the problem.

He said Calor Gas had a "take it or leave it attitude" when it came to rural businesses depending on LPG deliveries.

When his gas ran out he said he was promised gas within 24 hours after raising the issue, but it was 146 hours before a delivery came.

It meant several days brewing was lost.

"Without gas we simply can't brew they hold us over a barrel - literally," he said.

"The gas is on an auto trigger to reorder but that auto trigger if anything is slightly wrong as Calor doesn't allow them time to deliver.

"Their systems are not in tune with the market, or fit for purpose".

Calor Gas said in a statement: "We apologise to Mr Holliday and the team at the Moongazer Brewery for the issues they have had with their gas deliveries.

"We will reach out to them to discuss their experience and plans to improve our service to them."

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