ELECTRIC car owners visiting a pub near Tenbury can get a top up whilst they enjoy a pint.

Charging points were installed at the Rose and Crown in Burford during the enforced shutdown.

"During the pub closure we have been working hard to install some new initiatives at the pub," said Chris Whitehead who runs the pub with his wife Sarah.

"We are very keen to support the initiatives the government is pushing namely, people cycling as much as possible and electric car usage.

"The bike rack we purchased ourselves and it holds four bikes and as you can see from the picture, we have also painted a bike on the car park to highlight the area."

It was before the Covid-19 shut down that the couple decided that they wanted to install the charging points/

"Before the shutdown we had approached a local company, EV Charge UK Ltd and is based in Worcester, to install an electric car charger at the Rosie and had started the process, we had to put this on hold during lockdown, as soon as we were given signs of when we could open again we got the ball rolling and with the aid of a government grant pushed ahead with the installation," added Mr Whitehead.

"The charging point is one of the most modern points available, it is a fast charger so a car can be given a full charge in something between 60 & 90 minutes. The point is able to charge two cars at any one time.

"We have set the charger so that any member of the public can use it and it is available 24 hours a day.

"When people come to stay at the pub, they will be able to have a free charge as part of the benefits of booking a room.

"In the future we will offer a beneficial rate to anyone having a drink or a meal at the pub."

"This is the first electric charging point in Tenbury Wells although I am sure others will follow at some point.

"Currently the next nearest chargers are in either Ludlow, Abberley and Leominster."

The charge is paid via an app which is easy to download onto a smart phone.

"This is an initiative that we are very proud to have in place and look forward to it bringing more customers not only to the pub but to Tenbury Wells as well,W Mr Whitehead added.

One of the barriers to the take up of electric vehicles has been the lack of charging points especially in rural areas along with the limited range of electric vehicles, when compared with petrol and especially diesels.

There will be four electric charging points at the new Sainbury's at Rocks Green, just outside Ludlow when it opens next year.