A Belfast restaurant has issued a message to Northern Irish politicians after a "crippling" rise in energy bills.
Gemma Austin who runs the popular restaurant A Peculiar Tea on University Road has said that the hospitality industry has been given no support from the government in the wake of soaring energy and food costs.
She revealed how over the course of this year her energy bills have risen from £180 in January to £5,446 in October, a 3000% increase.
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Gemma has said that if MLAs do not urgently provide support to businesses that are being "crippled" by rising costs then her restaurant and many others will likely be closed by next year.
She has said that A Peculiar Tea is currently fully booked but the cost of energy bills is still leaving them struggling every month.
Gemma said: "The continuing rising costs of electricity, gas and food prices is crippling hospitality businesses and due to a non-functioning Government we have absolutely no support.
"Hospitality and retail fought to reopen after Covid thinking the worst was over when the reality is that the worst was yet to come. During Covid support was in place to help with the lack of trading but due to the cost of living crisis fewer people are spending money on the luxuries.
"The worrying thing for us is that we are fully booked and are still living month to month. The problem for us is not about people spending but about the cost of the bills.
"We need a Government who works for the people of Northern Ireland and who supports the businesses that put money back into the economy.
"The behaviour of those in power is embarrassing while their country falls around them.
"Stop their wages if they won't work and give the businesses and people struggling to eat the money."
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