Restaurants, cafés and pubs
Commercial EPC for Restaurants & Pubs
Kitchen extract, hot water and cellar cooling all count. Cooking equipment does not.
What counts and what does not
A restaurant EPC does not measure the energy your kitchen uses to cook. Ovens, fryers, fridges and display cabinets are left out.
What does count is everything the building does to keep the space usable: heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water and lighting. Kitchen extract is ventilation, so it counts. Hot water for a kitchen or bar counts. A pub cellar cooler is cooling, so it counts. That is why a restaurant often rates a band below the shop next door.
A café with a simple extract fan and radiators is Level 3 and priced by floor area in the quote calculator. A full commercial kitchen with a large extract system and air conditioning in the dining room is Level 4, which we quote individually.
Energy rating
CO₂ emissions score
- A0 to 25Most efficient
- B26 to 50
- C51 to 75
- D76 to 100
- E101 to 125
- F126 to 150
- G151+Least efficient
Lower scores are better. New commercial buildings typically target B or better. Sub E ratings cannot legally be let under MEES.
What affects the rating
In order of impact. Knowing them helps you prioritise improvements if your rating needs to come up.
Kitchen extract
High impactAir pulled out has to be replaced by air coming in, and in winter that air has to be heated. This is often the biggest single factor.
Hot water
High impactA gas cylinder scores better than electric storage. Point of use heaters sit in between.
Cellar cooling and cold rooms
Medium impactRecorded as cooling. Age and efficiency count.
Air conditioning in the dining area
Medium impactThis is what usually makes a restaurant Level 4.
Lighting
Medium impactHalogen spots and filament bulbs score badly. LED versions exist for almost all of them.
The building
Variable impactMany London pubs and restaurants are in old buildings with solid walls and single glazing. Being listed does not usually exempt them.
When a business changes hands
Food and drink premises change hands more than any other type, and each change is a point where the EPC is needed.
- Selling the business means assigning the lease, and a valid EPC must be available. Solicitors ask for it.
- The premises must be rated E or better. An F or G premises cannot be let or assigned without a registered exemption.
- A new lease or a sale of the freehold needs a valid EPC in the same way.
- Pub with a flat above? If the flat has its own entrance, it needs a separate domestic EPC.
How Kubo works
Get an instant quote
Pick your service, enter your floor area, and see a fixed price in 60 seconds. Or call 07737 144 836.
Book in seconds
Pay securely online or over the phone. We confirm your slot the same day, often within the hour.
Certified in days
We contact you to schedule the visit, then complete your order as soon as possible.
Frequently asked questions
Does the kitchen equipment count?
No. Ovens, fryers, fridges and catering appliances are left out. What counts is the building services around them: kitchen extract, hot water, cellar and cold room cooling, and the heating and lighting of the premises.
Do I need an EPC to sell my restaurant?
If the sale means assigning the lease to the buyer, yes. A valid EPC must be available and the premises must be rated E or better.
Is a pub with a flat above one EPC or two?
Usually two. The pub needs a commercial EPC. A flat with its own entrance needs a domestic EPC. We arrange both in one booking.
Is my café Level 3 or Level 4?
A café with a simple extract fan, radiators or a small boiler and no air conditioning is Level 3. A premises with a full commercial kitchen extract system or air conditioning in the seating area is Level 4.
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