Top brewery bars mobiles
Families urged to beat energy rises
PUB chain Samuel Smith’s is banning customers from using mobiles, tablets and laptops in the North West.
A memo from owner Humphrey Smith told managers punters must go outside to use gadgets “in the same way as is required with smoking”.
He added: “Our pubs are for social conversation person to person.”
Tadcaster-based Samuel Smith’s – which also bans music, TV and swearing – would not comment on the new policy or memo. MILLIONS of households on pricey energy tariffs are being urged to switch providers this weekend.
Those on standard variable tariffs will be hardest hit by price rises due on Monday when the price cap rises – but by acting now they can save up to £329 says Which?
The consumer watchdog added that on average, hard-pressed families face paying £117 more.
It found the Big Six - British
Gas, E.ON, EDF, SSE, Scottish Power and npower, who supply 10 million households, have hiked prices to within £1 of the new capped level.
However it unearthed 31 deals priced at under £1,000 a year - up from eight in December 2018. Outfox the Market offers the cheapest dual-fuel deal at £925 a year. Utility Point and Economy Energy Seven also had tariffs for under £950. Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: “If you are one of the millions stuck on a rip-off standard variable tariff, our advice is simple – switch as soon as possible. “There has been a recent rise in the number of cheap deals on the market.” Regulator Ofgem brought in the price cap to save millions on poor value SVTs up to £120 a year. Ofgem insisted: “The price cap ensures any increases are only due to actual rises in energy costs, rather than supplier profiteering.” Number of cut-price energy deals at under £1,000 a year