Wake Up to Money Wake Up to Cricket
Dec 4, 2025
Vic Stewart, CFO of The Alchemist, shares insights into how rising energy costs are disrupting the hospitality sector, impacting consumer confidence and operational planning. Meanwhile, Alex Gregg, owner of Fuggles Beer Cafe, discusses the devastating effects of a local water outage, revealing daily losses of £6-7k and the confusion caused by poor communication from the water company. Both guests highlight the urgent need for better infrastructure and support for affected businesses in challenging times.
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Unpredictable Energy Hurts Confidence
- Energy cost unpredictability has dented consumer confidence and business planning across hospitality.
- Vic Stewart says predictable, slower increases would help firms plan and restore spending.
AI And Data Centres Pressure Grids
- Rising electricity demand (e.g., data centres, AI) may push prices unless grid investment keeps pace.
- Sophie Hoon warns that expanding demand requires matching grid upgrades or bills could spike.
Bar Owner Shares Local Water-Crisis Losses
- Alex Gregg described Tunbridge Wells' chaotic water outage and mixed messages from South East Water.
- He reported losing ~£6–7k so far, throwing away kegs and food, and predicting larger town-level losses.