Hell is a pizza business on fire, with three new North Shore locations opening in 2004. And every one of those locations has gone for gas, with gas-fired pizza ovens, deep fryers, and hot water.

Gas-fired pizza ovens are the industry standard, so it’s not a hellishly difficult decision to go with gas. But using gas for the deep fryers is a deliberate choice.

“We need all the heat we can get here in Hell, and we need it fast,” says Franchisee James Tucker. James and his crew at Hell rely on the speed of gas to get the oil up to heat quickly at the start of the night and maintain temperature during peak service.

And the accountant appreciates the fact that gas costs less to run on an hourly basis. Speed and on-going economies were also key factors in deciding to go with gas hot water heating.

The hot water is instant, no matter how long between one person using it and the next. But before Hell could get fired up, they needed the right connections and here Vector came to the party, laying pipes up to 60 metres from the mains to the kitchen. In another, the mains network was extended so the connection could be made.

“We’re really happy with the way Vector helped out,” says James. “Without this help, we couldn’t have opened the shops.” Since opening, the new shops have turned out thousands of Hell’s famous pizzas known as much for their good taste as their hot names such as Brimstone, Wrath, Cursed. And, of course, their wedges are hotter than hell.