Pub company Stonegate has applied to Ofwat for a self-supply licence which, if granted, will enable Stonegate to provide water retail services to itself and associated persons.
Stonegate operates more than 690 pubs and bars across the UK, within a wide variety of formats, from community and high-street pubs, through branded bars, to country inns and late-night venues.
In order to facilitate the application, Stonegate has entered into a partnership agreement with Waterscan to take on the role and responsibilities for the retail functions – including meter reading, CMOS transactions, wholesaler management and finding further water efficiency savings.
As such, Waterscan will act as the managing agent for Stonegate and provide technical support and services while Stonegate will build relationships with wholesalers and pay water and sewerage charges through the settlement process.
Stonegate is the sixth organisation to apply for such a licence, after brewer Greene King, hospitality firm Whitbread, brewery and pub retailer Marston’s, Coca Cola European Partners, and Blackpool Council.
All businesses granted self-supply licences so far have entered into partnerships with consultancy Waterscan.