Equipment supplier helps keep costs on ice

A hospitality equipment supplier has reported record revenues as businesses look to keep costs on ice and operations running smoothly.

Newcastle-based Clear Cool – a family-run business which is part of The Rudd Group – has grown turnover from £1.43 million in 2023/24 to £2.1 million in 2025/26, driven by rising demand for equipment and maintenance services that help businesses avoid costly downtime.

The company supplies and services equipment including ice machines, glass washers and dryers, and has expanded its work with national hospitality operators across the UK.

It recently completed its 90th ice machine installation for a Starbucks franchise and now carries out more than 80 per cent of service work on ice makers across 180 sites.

Clear Cool has also delivered projects for Newcastle United, replacing the existing ice machine infrastructure with new Glacier units capable of producing around 2.5 tonnes of ice on matchdays and during major events.

Alongside equipment sales and rental, the business operates a network of engineers from six depots across the UK, enabling rapid maintenance and repairs.

Barrie Webster, managing director at Clear Cool, said: “Hospitality businesses are under immense pressure, and every operational decision now carries more weight than ever.

“Our role is to help operators run smarter – reducing avoidable costs, preventing equipment failures, disrupting service, and ensuring their venues stay fully operational.

“When margins are tight, reliability isn’t a luxury; it’s essential.

 “When a glass washer or ice maker fails, it can quickly disrupt service and impact the customer experience. 

“Our job is not simply to supply equipment, but to protect our customers’ operations by responding quickly and getting them back up and running when they need us most.”

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