A Welsh restaurant owned by celebrity chef Stephen Terry, has praised AvantiGas for keeping its business afloat during the recent floods.
The Hardwick, based just outside Abergavenny, has commended LPG supplier AvantiGas for saving the business from a loss of income when the gas supply was damaged
by an influx of water in February.
As one of a number of homes and businesses off the mains gas network, The Hardwick’s energy supply relies on deliveries of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) from national provider AvantiGas.
“More than eight inches of water fell over a four week period and because it was so extreme and so persistent, it eventually affected our gas supply,” explained
Derry Nicklin, co-owner of The Hardwick.
“With 15 residents staying with us and 55 people booked in to eat that day, we simply could not function without the gas that supplies our heating and cooking needs.
“Within 45 minutes of calling AvantiGas, a sales manager was on site and an engineer fixed the problem within three hours. The floods proved a horrendous time for so many businesses and families but thankfully, our own crisis was averted thanks to the swift actions of the local team behind our AvantiGas supply.”
Originally opening as a restaurant in 2005, Stephen and Derry have transformed The Hardwick into a highly regarded restaurant and hotel. Undergoing a full refurbishment in 2010, they added to the property and converted the restaurant into a hotel with eight rooms. The ground was excavated to build a bigger kitchen and enhance the running of the restaurant.
“We have never been on the mains gas network and since we developed our offering at The Hardwick our reliance on LPG gas has increased. We accommodate around 4,500 residents every year and Stephen’s reputation means our restaurant is always fully booked,” Derry added.
“After getting through the recent weather crisis, it’s reassuring to know that while we are off the main network, our energy needs are the top of someone else’s agenda. Heaven forbid the same thing happens again but if it does, we know it can be sorted – and fast.”
AvantiGas Area Sales Manager, Jude Payne, said that the floods and high winds were some of the most extreme Wales has seen in recent years.
“At a time when thousands of properties in Wales were left without a power supply, we are delighted to report that just a handful of customers were affected during that unprecedented three-month storm period,” he said.
“Being based in Wales we have the infrastructure, facilities and team to resolve any problems quickly and despite the onslaught of the elements, we were delighted to get The Hardwick back to business within the same day.”
