Energy bills have forced UK businesses to shut down, as some business owners have seen their energy bill triple.
Gelatis owner Tina Knapman said she had no choice but to shut the door on her diner as she saw her energy costs go from £800 to £2,300. After leaving her old energy contract in March, Ms Knapman was left with a £16,000 bill to pay off.
Two other eateries are also closing up shop in Herefordshire town as a cost-of-living crisis has also pushed prices for food by up to 40% since 2019, she said.
Despite government support for businesses until April 2024, the business owner said that the increased prices have made it difficult not to fall into debt.
“When I come out of this summer, they’ll be nothing left to drip feed my bills through the winter,” Ms Knapman added.
Another UK eatery, Burger Master, told customers that “the massive increase in energy costs, [have made] it impossible for us to continue”.
Chef Tom Kerridge who has been looking at how hard things are in his BBC series, The Hidden World of Hospitality, said rising cost were making businesses unviable.
“There’s 12 hospitality businesses a week shutting – and it is heavily, heavily based on the rising cost of utility and energy costs absolutely coming in at absolutely catastrophic increases,” he said.
Restaurant consultant Peter Backman indicated that the issue has been ongoing for some time. “This is a rolling issue. It’s not a spike that’s suddenly appeared,” he told the BBC.
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