[pgkevet]

It comes down to money and convenience. Boiling a kettle can easily be done on gas or even get weirdly unconventional like a kelly kettle with a few sticks of wood. Gas fridges or just a cool-box and some cold packs from the freezer. For lights led's use less power = simple batteries or camping gas lamps or coleman type lamps..
Then you have the issues of fire risk..?

I own a 7kw electric start genny.. wolf brand.. cost about £400 at the time and can power most of this house in any cut... but taking that 1 mile would really need a trailer.

[DavidandCollette]

We have a caravan that provides us with hot food and drinks and a gas fridge to keep a bit of butter, milk  ( and a few cans) cold. Electricity is provided by a portable gennie which lives in the back of the truck. We are also a mile from the land and it seems to work pretty well. I am going to look at gas lights for the barn though

[pharnorth]

I guess your problem with going to mains is a standing charge all year when you only need it for a month?  I wonder if there are any mains electric suppliers that cater for business use on that basis?.

[Old Shep]

yes that is a possibility pharnorth -  I think I will make enquiries about the cost of connection.

[DavidandCollette]

I doubt that wl be a possibilty. Our village has xmas light that run the mains. It has a seperate board etc but the electricity board insist that the annual standing charge applies