06 April 2022
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Oli Thorndale and Tony Bourne at the New Inn in Warwickshire
A community-owned pub dating back to 1750 has turned to Panasonic air conditioning with nanoe X technology to improve the comfort for its modern-day customers.
Residents of the village in Norton Lindsey, Warwickshire, purchased the New Inn to maintain its role as the social hub of the village. The villagers clubbed together to raise the £400,000 needed to buy the property and now 220 shareholders and a steering committee manage the business.
When the villagers took over the property, it was very run down and needed a complete renovation throughout, including the heating system which was an old LPG gas-fired boiler. With the price of gas going up and its less-than environmentally friendly credentials, gas was considered an expensive and inefficient fuel – in fact, many locals complained the pub was cold in winter and too hot in the summer.
As this was 2021 and during the pandemic, the steering committee wanted to provide confidence in the pub, as well as creating a safer and healthier environment. It was at this point that the steering committee learnt about the benefits of Panasonic’s nanoe X; a unique technology to improve air hygiene by preventing transmission of airborne pathogens.
Through his relationship with air conditioning distributor Oceanair, village resident Oli Thorndale, of Thorndale Heating & Cooling, had already installed Panasonic nanoe X Etherea units in his property and was very pleased with the performance. He proposed a similar solution to the steering committee for the pub, which was quickly approved.
Installation of wall-mounted Etherea air conditioner with nanoe X built in as standard now provides not only energy-efficient heating and cooling but can also inhibit the growth of certain bacteria and viruses.
Tony Bourne, a member of the steering committee, said: “It was nanoe X and the benefits it brings that was the clinching factor to install Panasonic. I had already had the units installed in my own home, as our bedroom was very hot in the summer and my wife suffers from chest problems and hay fever. We have since found that the Panasonic air conditioning unit has really helped and we both sleep much better now.
“The pub is a major hub for the local community, so it was very important to ensure that it's accessible and a pleasant place for everyone. The space is now much cosier with the new Panasonic units making a significant difference. We have also seen an increase in more of the local residents coming back to the pub, as they feel much more confident.”
Oli Thorndale has been involved in the industry for around 15 years, starting out in air cleaning and filtration using electronic statics, which is why he quickly understood the benefits of nanoe X. He has since worked for an air conditioning company installing and maintaining the equipment and then started his own business three years ago – mainly domestic installs with lots of home office cabin style projects – ideal for the energy efficient Etherea units.
He said: “With the price of gas going up considerably, I am seeing more and more people looking to switch to more renewable sources. It was Tony Holland of Oceanair who first came to me with the information on the nanoe X technology and the independent tests regarding the benefits.
"The units have been installed for approximately six months in the pub now; we have had a great reaction, with bills being reduced and the units quickly heating up the space. Following the pub install, local residents have been impressed and are requesting the units to be installed in their homes.”
“The support and help from both Panasonic and Oceanair has been very good with lots of back-up and information provided to help give people confidence. I was particularly impressed with Oceanair as a distributor that helps the smaller installer and provides back-up for small projects.”
Tony Holland of Oceanair added: “Having worked with Panasonic for at least 10 years now, it is always a pleasure to work with the team. I have found their products to have come on leaps and bounds, now currently leading the industry by far, especially with nanoe X and their air source heat pump technology.
"Renewables are the future for this industry and we are seeing a phenomenal take-up for these units both in domestic and commercial projects – people want to come back to safe and healthy environments. It’s selling itself, particularly with the latest test results revealing such high results against the virus. At Oceanair we are more than happy to work with smaller projects and installers – we treat all projects and customers with the same full customer support.”
