A pub car park is a destination: people stay for a meal, not for eight hours, and spaces are precious at peak. A couple of AC sockets can be a genuine amenity if you can spare the bays and you know who pays for the electricity. It is a poor idea if the only effect is two bays blocked all evening by finished cars. Staff charging overnight, when the car park is quiet, is often the cleaner pattern. Either way you need a supply that survives a busy kitchen, a way to stop cables crossing the disabled route, and honesty in the listing about whether charging is free.
How eV chargers in a pub car park moves the job
Amenity value is real and hard to measure. Electricity cost is easy to measure. Cap the free offer if you need to.
What goes wrong with eV chargers in a pub car park
The mistake is a rapid charger as a 'destination' on a 100 amp pub supply, or a cable across the beer-garden steps.
Point at eV chargers in a pub car park in the pack
Specify who may charge, at what hours, and the kitchen load the designer allowed for.
EV chargers in a pub car park
Decide the tariff for guests before you install. Free, a flat fee, or no guest use. Mid-course apps that nobody can join are a complaint generator.
- Long staff dwell beats peak-time guest blocking
- Be honest if charging is free
- Kitchens are the electrical peak
- Keep disabled routes clear
EV chargers in a pub car park: questions for the first visit
Kitchens at Sunday lunch are an electrical peak. Do not add unmanaged chargers without looking.
Frequently asked questions
Will it bring covers?
Treat that as a hope, not a business case. The certain effect is occupied bays and a bill.
Can we add it to the card machine?
Some commercial units can bill. A simple policy may cost less than a payments platform.
Is a grant available?
A workplace scheme might fit staff bays if you qualify. It is not a grant for customer entertainment.
What about a listed pub?
External kit and signs may need consent. Ask before you mount a cabinet on the front.
Core buying guides
Start with these high-intent guides, then dig into the rest of the library.
Related guides
Sources and further reading
How this guide was prepared
This guide was written by the Local EV Installers Editorial Team. We compare official guidance, legislation and established consumer information, separate general information from project-specific advice, and show publication dates and sources. We do not accept installer accreditation claims at face value.