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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
Levi Winchester

Tom Kerridge warns energy bill at his pub has rocketed from £60,000 to £420,000

Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has revealed the annual energy bill at his pub has skyrocketed from £60,000 to £420,000.

He said one of his pubs has a monthly electricity bill of £5,000 but this is set to rise to £35,000 in December.

Mr Kerridge has three pubs, all based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire - but warned how the hospitality industry as a whole is facing “harsh realities” when trying to stay open.

"There's no way that businesses are going to be able to absorb four, five, six hundred per cent price increases," he told The Daily Telegraph.

Are you worried about rising prices? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk

Tom Kerridge has three pubs in Buckinghamshire (BBC/Bone Soup Productions)

Mr Kerridge is calling for "some form of energy price cap" for businesses, alongside a reduction in VAT.

The energy price cap covers domestic customers on standard variable rate tariffs (SVTs) - but there is no price cap for businesses.

Mr Kerridge isn’t alone in calling for action for struggling pubs and restaurants.

In an open letter to the outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, industry chiefs warned hundreds of struggling businesses face "an abyss of closure"

They warn thousands of jobs are now at risk, with businesses that survived the Covid crisis struggling with debts averaging £40,000 and 300% rises in energy prices.

In an open letter to the Prime Minister, UK Hospitality, the Night-Time Industries Association, the Music Venue Trust, the British Institute of Innkeeping and the British Beer and Association wrote: "With chronic challenges in the supply chain, labour shortages, interest rates and inflation, rocketing energy prices have become a matter of existential emergency for businesses in our sector.

"Hospitality operators face average annual bill increases in the region of at least 300%, putting at risk businesses and jobs.

"It is also increasingly clear that a significant number of energy providers have withdrawn service provision from the Hospitality market altogether."

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality said: “Hundreds of hospitality businesses across the country are staring into an abyss of closure and possible failure, leading to thousands of job losses.

“It’s now or never for Government help and support if this vital sector is to survive the extraordinary threats pushing much of it to the very brink of existence."

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said, “Rising energy bills are putting pubs in real jeopardy.

“Sudden, extreme price hikes are already forcing publicans to make tough choices, from reducing opening hours to cutting options on their menu.”

Are you worried about rising prices? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk

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