A Ranelagh butcher says that her business has been dealt a heavy blow after receiving an electricity bill worth a shocking €6,106.
Sarah Kelly, who co-owns The Village Butcher, has worked in the trade for over 30 years, and says that rising costs are having a knock on effect on staff. She told Dublin Live that many business owners in her position are frustrated by a lack of government support when owners are determined to remain open and viable.
Her bill this time last year was just over €1000 for the month of December. Sarah says she is deeply concerned about the sharp increases that have occurred in the past few months and says that suppliers are also feeling the pinch of impossible costs.
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She pointed out that many publicans were given financial payments to help them through the necessary closures brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. And she maintains that this same logic should apply to businesses who are struggling with impossible energy costs this winter.
She said: “The Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme is not enough because out of my 6000 euro bill, it’s only 1400 euro offset against Revenue. They need to do more to keep businesses open, if they were prepared in the past to keep them closed.
“We want to stay open and work- why can’t they cap the energy rates?”
The Village Butcher is gearing up for their Christmas rush on top of the mounting bills, and Sarah explains that while trading itself is good, staff are feeling disillusioned as costs cancel out the hard work carried out in store.
The Village Butcher will close on Sunday 18 December ahead of an anticipated 80 hour work week. Sarah says that her staff deserve the break as the Christmas week of trading is particularly demanding, with work commencing at 6am and not ending until well past midnight.
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She adds: “I have quite a young team here, who are all trying to save for a house and paying stupidly high rents, alongside their electricity going up. Everyone who is working really hard feels like they’re getting nowhere.”
The business remains optimistic despite economic challenges, having recently won the Employer of the Year Awards for its impressive apprenticeship scheme. Sarah employs three female staff members, two apprentices and a student from France, which she says brings a “nice balance” to male-dominated industry.
Sarah previously shared her concerns on social media, describing the cost of the bill as “scandalous.” She highlighted how hardworking staff continue to face uncertainty due to inadequate supports.
She originally wrote on Twitter: “How much can we charge for a chicken fillet or a lb of mince. Its so disheartening to work harder for less, While ESBs profits quadruple and the CEOs get big bonuses.”
The Twitter post gained huge traction on social media last week, and many small Irish businesses extended their sympathies to The Village Butcher, admitting that they faced similar predicaments.
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