A grade II-listed luxury venue in Barrow has installed charging bays for electric vehicles (EV).
Abbey House Hotel & Gardens, a popular choice for weddings, is now home to the 'largest' ultra-rapid charging hub on the Lake District’s south coast after partnering with Be.EV to install 10 EV charging bays.
The chargers will be accessible to hotel guests, the general public, local businesses and NHS workers, all of whom can access the service via Be.EV's national network.
The installation was formally launched on Wednesday, in front of representatives from Be.EV and Abbey House, as well as the general public.
To mark the occasion, Be.EV gave away more than 2,750 miles of free charging, and drivers charging their vehicle at the site this week will automatically be entered into a prize draw for a free overnight stay at the luxury hotel.
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The installation at Abbey House includes two Kempower ultra-rapid chargers and three fast chargers, designed to meet the increasing area demand for EV charging.
The Kempower chargers can charge a vehicle to 80 per cent in as little as 20 minutes, providing convenience for those on the move, while hotel guests staying overnight can utilise the facility's fast chargers.
With less than 7 per cent of the UK’s charge points located in hotels and nearly half of EV drivers stating they won’t stay in a hotel without a charger, Abbey House is positioning itself at the helm of the hospitality sector’s charging infrastructure rollout.
Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, said: "Abbey House is a great example of the role hotels can play in the EV revolution.
"Our work with the Abbey House team shows that EV charging can be done well and in keeping with the heritage of a site, and we’re thrilled to have our chargers at such an impressive location.”
Donna Conroy, sales and events manager at Abbey House, said: "The addition of the EV chargers has and will continue to be such a wonderful facility for our guests and the wider community.
"To be able to host the chargers on behalf of Be-EV, a company focused on community, the customer and creating a sustainable future, makes us proud to be a part of such a positive move forward... not only that, but to be the largest ultra-rapid charging hub on the Lake District’s south coast is fantastic!"
The project did not draw on public funding, with the solution provided at zero cost by Be.EV, which also offered Abbey House a share of the profits.
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