Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Tan Hill Inn Owner Says It Now Costs £100,000 a Year to Keep the Lights On

Off‑grid infrastructure at 1,732 feet drives high costs, prompting a live‑in staffing model.

Overview

  • Owner Andrew Hields says roughly 1,000 visitors a week help offset the steep running costs at Britain’s highest pub in the Yorkshire Dales.
  • The inn operates entirely off‑grid with its own generator and plumbing due to the lack of external power lines or utility pipes.
  • Staffing relies on on‑site accommodation with six staff bedrooms alongside 11 guest rooms, with most employees staying three or four nights per week.
  • The live‑in approach evolved from full‑time residence to part‑time stays, and the business is considering a minibus to ease staff transport.
  • Hields also runs the Green Dragon Inn in Hardraw and says heavy marketing and cross‑staffing, at times totaling about 50 people in peak season, keep the venture viable.