ONE of the Forest's best-known businesses is investing in a green technology of the future.

Bell's Hotel and Golf Club in Coleford has installed a biomass boiler which generates heat by burning wood pellets.

The pellets are made of waste wood from the Coleford branch of Jewson.

Hotel and club manager Curt Green said: "We were looking to replace our boiler and biomass is more efficient and helps reduce our carbon footprint.

"The wood it burns comes from Jewson so our fuel supplies are local.

"The payback period is relatively short so it makes good commercial sense as well as being a good ethical decision."

The hotel previously installed solar panels.

Rob Lane of supplier Hewer said more businesses were looking at biomass as a way of controlling fuel costs.

He said: "With the price of gas and oil continuing to increase biomass is becoming more attractive to business."