A fish and chip shop owner has shared her terrifying utility bills after seeing her electricity and gas costs increase ten-fold in the space of a year.
It was only a month ago when Amy Anemoni, from Newcastle, took over ownership of the chippy she had been working in for over a year. But she is already making changes to try and cut costs to help the business survive.
Despite the rising costs, she is reluctant to increase her prices at Whieldon Fish Bar in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, at a time when many families are struggling. And instead the 28-year-old, who moved to the area for love, is trialling alternative methods, such as turning off the lights, to try and save money on her energy bills.
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Amy told StokeonTrent Live : "We are turning off the lights whenever we're not using them. I'm used to it so I can go there but if I have any staff I can't let them work without the light."
Currently, unlike domestic households, there is no price cap for businesses. Her most recent electricity bill was £1,000 compared with this time last year when it was £150.
She also dug out her utility statements showing the alarming figures. This time last year, the gas bill was £36.40. In April 2022, it was £45.88 - and her most recent gas bill was £386.40. That's more than 10 times as much compared to 12 months ago.
Energy bills are just one factor businesses in the food industry have to contend with. The cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks is rocketing with inflating running at over 10%.
But understanding the difficult times people face during a cost of living crisis, she is determined not to pass the burden to families and continues to offer 10% off for orders over £10.
Amy added: "The customers say our food is cheap, and they also like that we use cod rather than sea bass or something else. People have said the chips are good now compared to previously. Fish and chips is our biggest seller."
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