ST AUSTELL Brewery has installed electric car charging points at two of its pubs to help meet increasing demand in what could herald a move towards more charging points in retail locations.

The new chargers at the Holmbush Inn, St Austell and The County Arms in Truro supply superfast 43/50 kW (AC/DC) ‘rapid charge’ which can be paid for using Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) genie cards or via an app.

Adam Luck, estate director at St Austell Brewery, said: “Pubs are at the heart of the community, both socially and geographically. There are many of our pubs which are well placed to provide this service.

“The brewery is delighted to install the first two electric vehicle charging points to customers and we’re looking to extended this further across our estate in the future.”

In the last three years there has been a significant increase in the number of electric cars being used in the UK, with about 37,000 now thought to be in use and more than 9,000 places where they can be charged.