Business energy and utilities for bars and late-opening venues
Bars trade late, take most of their money by card and get through a lot of glass. Chillers, ice machines, lighting and sound all run when other businesses have closed. We look after the contracts that keep the doors open.
- Contracts compared on how they price the hours you trade
- Glass and recycling set up for the rules where you trade
How Helios helps bars and late-opening venues.
Late trading, glass and card terminals at the bar and the door. Helios keeps every contract on one list, checked against your own usage.
One contact for the venue
Electricity, gas, water, waste and card terminals on one list, so late nights are spent running the bar, not chasing suppliers.
Late trading on the right rates
Late opening shifts your usage towards the evening and night. We compare each rate band as printed against your own bills.
Glass collected on time
Glass and recycling collections matched to your busiest nights and the recycling rules where you trade.
No out-of-contract surprises
We track every end date and notice window, so a contract is renewed before it can roll onto out-of-contract rates.
What bars usually need from us
Business electricity
Chillers, ice machines, glass washers, lighting and sound, late into the night.
What makes a bar different
Most takings are by card
UK Finance reports that 39% of all UK payments in 2025 were contactless and only 8% were cash, so card fees apply to most of your sales.
Source: UK Finance
Drinks cooling is a big load
In pubs, the Carbon Trust puts drinks cooling at more than 10% of total energy cost. In a bar, chillers and ice machines are among the first loads we look at.
Source: Carbon Trust (2018)
Renewal dates and avoiding out-of-contract rates
If your fixed contract ends without a new one in place, Ofgem says you can be moved onto out-of-contract or deemed rates, which are usually higher than negotiated rates. There is no cooling-off period once you agree a business energy contract, so the terms need checking before you sign.
If your bar counts as a microbusiness, suppliers must limit termination notice on evergreen contracts to 30 days and tell you renewal prices before your contract ends. We check which rules apply to you, then quote electricity and gas separately.
Source: Ofgem
Glass and recycling rules for bars
In England, Simpler Recycling requires glass and other dry recyclables to be kept apart from food and general waste, with paper and card collected separately unless your collector has a written assessment. Small bars with fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees have until 31 March 2027. In Wales, anyone serving food or drink is covered by the workplace recycling rules, with glass as its own stream. In Scotland, glass must be presented for recycling.
Sources: GOV.UK, Welsh Government, NetRegs
Licensing and late trading
Selling alcohol on a permanent basis in England and Wales needs a premises licence, and hot food or drink sold between 11pm and 5am is late night refreshment, a licensable activity. Late opening also shifts more of your energy use into the evening and night, which is worth knowing when you compare contracts.
Source: GOV.UK
What we may find
It depends on your bills and contracts. These are the things we check.
- Electricity running on out-of-contract rates
- Card fees that do not match what you were quoted
- Glass collections that do not match your volumes
Keeping contracts and documents in order
We put every contract on one list before quoting.
- Electricity and gas end dates and notice windows
- Card machine contract, rental and exit terms
- Phone lines used by door entry, CCTV and alarms
- Glass and general waste collection days
What to send us
Send what you have and we will ask for anything else we need.
- A recent electricity bill, and gas bill if you have gas
- Your last one to three card machine statements
- Your waste and glass invoices
- Your phone or broadband bill
How Helios looks after a bar.
Here is how a bar’s contracts look in the Helios portal: every service, every end date and every document in one place.
- One contact for every service and every site
- Every end date and notice window tracked, with reminders
- Rates exactly as printed: electricity and gas always quoted separately
- Contracts, documents and meter readings in your Helios portal
Bar · Old TownIllustration only- ElectricityEvening and night use30/04/2027Live
- GasHeating and hot water30/04/2027Live
- WasteGlass and recycling31/12/2026Renewal due
- Card machinesBar and doorRolling monthlyLive
- WaterBar and washroomsRollingLive
One bar or several
A single bar
We check your dates, your card fees and your lines, and tell you plainly where nothing needs changing yet.
Several venues
Each venue keeps its own meters and dates. We check them site by site. See multi-site groups.
Get a quote for your bar
Tell us about your business and we’ll be in touch. We check your contract end dates and notice windows before we quote.
Prefer to talk? Call 020 4628 5727, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Frequently asked questions
Do bars pay different energy prices to other businesses?
Prices depend on your usage, your meter and when you sign, not on the type of business. That is why we quote against your own bills.
Do we need to separate glass?
In England glass must be kept apart from food and general waste; in Wales glass is its own stream; in Scotland glass must be presented for recycling.
Can you arrange our insurance?
We introduce you to FCA-authorised partner brokers, who arrange the cover. Employers’ liability is compulsory once you employ staff, with cover of at least £5 million.
Bring your bar into one place.
Send us a recent bill and we will start with your contract dates and prices. Add the rest of your services whenever you are ready.
