LPG Heating Case Study - Elfordleigh Hotel

Elfordleigh Hotel, Golf and Leisure Club has all the charm of an English country house and is situated in 100 acres of glorious parkland. The hotel relies upon Calor Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to power all of its' heating, catering and leisure facilities - as well as its golf cars.

With an annual turnover of approximately £3 million and attracting thousands of visitors each week, the Elfordleigh Hotel wanted a fuel source it could rely on. All of the hotel’s heating, catering and hot water facilities have been running on Calor LPG for the last four years.

Recently, the hotel also switched its golf cars to run on Calor LPG. The decision was made by the Manager of the hotel, Michael Lee.

“The hotel was using Calor when it first opened in 1946 and when the current owner bought it in 2000 he was pleased with the service that Calor was providing. He continued to use Calor and also decided to use them for the golf cars and the extra bedrooms that were built. “It is essential for our business that we have a reliable fuel source which will not let us down.”

“Calor proved good value for money and we had been pleased with the service we received from Calor over the years so it was a natural choice for us to stay with them,” he adds. The tanks are installed discreetly in the grounds and regular deliveries are made to top up the tanks.

“We always receive the deliveries promptly and we have never run low on gas. The service provided by Calor is excellent and it ensures we are never let down and can heat the hotel and its facilities without even thinking about it,” says Michael.

Due to the popularity of hiring golf cars on the impressive 18-hole course, Michael decided to purchase 16 brand new golf cars in January - and wanted them to run on Calor LPG. The E-Z-GO golf cars, manufactured by Ransomes Jacobsen, were supplied by Mox Technologies, based in Banbury, Oxon.

“We had previously run the golf cars on petrol but when we decided to extend our fleet we looked at using LPG to fuel the cars and the running costs seemed to be cheaper.

The onsite refuelling facility for LPG provides convenience and peace of mind as it eliminates the environmental risks associated with fuel spillage such as contamination of the land and water course.

Elfordleigh Hotel offers 34 bedrooms, all with LPG central heating and a constant supply of hot water for the bathrooms. Michael says it is essential that the rooms are always at a comfortable temperature and hot water is available for their guests - otherwise they could lose customers.

Another area of the hotel which relies on Calor is within the kitchens. The chefs pride themselves on offering the finest food in the classically styled Churchills restaurant. “The restaurant caters for up to 60 people and the chefs insisted on cooking on gas to produce the highest quality dishes. The alternative would be to use electric but it doesn't give the control or versatility of gas”.

The Oasis health spa is located next to the hotel and is the perfect haven to relax and unwind. The indoor pool is the perfect jewel of the Oasis - and it is heated by Calor LPG using a system which ensures it is kept at a temperature of 28°C.

The pool, jacuzzi, sauna, gymnasium, hair salon and beauty treatment rooms are all heated on Calor LPG. Michael says that it is both convenient and cost effective to use Calor for all of the hotel's heating, catering and leisure requirements.

Paul Bennett, commercial sales specialist for Calor, says that the Elfordleigh Hotel demonstrates the versatility of Calor. “Elfordleigh is one of Plymouth's finest parkland golf courses. Both the hotel and the gardens are beautifully kept and switching to Calor to run their golf cars was a safer and cleaner option.

“We supply the hotel with regular deliveries to ensure the guests have an enjoyable visit - it's reassuring for businesses to know they can rely on Calor to deliver,” he adds.