Energy firm blamed for closure of restaurant - 18/04/2012

The owner of a restaurant in Wales has blamed his business energy supplier for forcing the business to close.

Pascal Haughey, co-owner and company secretary of the 7teen establishment in Carmarthen, said a demand for payment of £26,000 from Swalec had forced the diner into liquidation, the local Journal newspaper reports.

He criticised the company for refusing to negotiate over payment conditions for the outstanding expenses.

Mr Haughey said: "We went to the ombudsman and the bill was reduced to £16,000. The crux of the matter was the way Swalec handled the bill."

A magistrate in Carmarthen who heard Mr Haughey's challenge to Swalec's application to cut off power found the energy provider had a compelling case for its actions and granted the firm the right to stop the power supply.

The business' experience may therefore serve as a reminder to other enterprises to ensure they have cheap tariffs and affordable payment solutions in place.

Earlier this year, hospitality specialists Lynx Purchasing urged firms in the sector to consider switching to long-term energy deals in order to protect themselves against volatile prices.

You could save up to £1,300 a year on your commercial energy bills. Contact us today on 0800 008 77 72 to find how much you can save.

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