Mitchells & Butler Case Study

DRAYTON PUTS MITCHELLS & BUTLERS IN CONTROL

Heating controls specialist Drayton has provided Mitchells & Butlers, one of the largest operator of restaurants, pubs and bars in the UK, with a bespoke wireless heating control solution for 300 of its sites across the country.

Many of the Mitchells & Butlers properties were built over 100 years ago, and feature large thick walls and metal work - including stainless steel kitchens and bar fixtures and fittings. This meant there was an issue getting a reliable wireless signal that would penetrate in this kind of environment.

Drayton had discussions with Mitchells & Butlers to determine what the requirements were, and created a system that was tailored to suit their specific needs. The custom-created package comprised of the Drayton Instat+ 868-r programmable thermostat, an Instat 868-a4 connection strip, and the Instat 868 repeater.

Simon Cocks, Energy Projects Manager, Mitchells & Butlers said: “The heating requirements for Mitchells & Butlers are to have a warm and welcoming business. Ideally we need to heat the areas to 20° - 21°, which is the optimum temperature for our guests.

“Although we need to maintain this temperature, at the same time we do need to minimise the amount of energy we are consuming in order to keep costs down. We had a wired system in place but wanted to move to a wireless system that offered automation and consistency.

“We looked at various suppliers and even tried a few of them out, but when we tested Drayton’s bespoke solution we found it to have a strong, dependable wireless signal strength due to the boost that the repeater offered.

“Whether the manager is there or not, the business is heated to 21°, and when the business is closed we hold a lower temperature to protect the fabric of the building and keep it safe. The system just looks after itself as staff don’t need to have any interaction with it.”

Keith Wilson, Business Development Manager at Drayton, added: “We programme the units before they leave the factory, so it’s ready to work to Mitchells & Butlers requirements once installed. Since the installation Mitchells & Butlers have reported a 20-25 per cent reduction in energy usage and running costs.”

One example of how Drayton’s bespoke solution is benefitting Mitchells & Butlers pubs is at the Dore More Inn, Sheffield, which was formerly a coaching inn built in 1816.

Sophie, Assistant Manager at the Dore More Inn, commented: “The system is really easy to operate and we just leave it to run itself. The installation process was really quick and easy and there was no disruption, which is a big plus for a pub such as this.”

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