Manchester's oldest family run craft bakery has been warned by its supplier it faces a £250,000 increase on its yearly bill. Robinson's bakery, based in Failsworth, has survived two World Wars, the Covid-19 pandemic, and many Prime Ministers since first being established in 1864 - but the energy crisis and cost-of-living crisis threatens to wipe it off the map.
David Robinson, who, while semi-retired, still helps with the running of the bakery with his daughter, Grace, describes the potential hike in the businesses energy bills as a 'suicide note', with one of their business customers already going bust. The dramatic rise in energy bills comes at a time when the cost of ingredients is rising on a weekly basis and customers have less money to spend due to the cost of living crisis.
'Serious intervention' from the government is needed if many similar businesses are to survive the winter, David believes, with the current projected increase in bills 'completely unsustainable'. He told the M.E.N how their energy bills currently stand at £18,000 per year, but as their contract is up for renewal at the end of October, he has been told they will rise to at least £72,000 - a rise of 400 per cent.
