Rising energy bills mean fish and chip shop not viable, owner says

The owner of a fish and chip shop has said he has been forced to close after 25 years as escalating costs meant it was "impossible to carry on".

Peter Singleton said the annual energy bill at Jack Spratt's in Oldham had risen from £8,000 to £27,000 after government support ended on 1 April.

He said it was "no longer viable" as he would have to raise the price of fish and chips from £6.80 to £15 to survive.

The government said a new scheme was supporting companies "large and small".

Up until the end of March, businesses had their costs limited under the government's energy bill relief scheme, but that has now been replaced with a new scheme, which sees firms get a discount on wholesale prices, rather than costs being capped.

Mr Singleton told BBC Radio Manchester he made the decision to close his chip shop on Hollins Road on Thursday for the final time after the original scheme ended.

"For the last two years, my energy bills have been £8,000," he said.

"They are now going to go up to £27,000."

He said he was also facing rising costs on ingredients, as the cost of a block of fat had risen from £11 to £35 and there had been a "massive increase" in the price of potatoes.

He said fish had "gone through the roof" and while he had previously paid about £300 a week for fish, the figure was now close to £700.

He said raising prices in a "poor area" was neither fair nor viable, adding: "You can't charge members of the public £10 for a fish."

"I thought with my experience... I could possibly survive, but it is not going to be possible," he said.

The National Federation of Fish Friers said it had been calling on the government to help the hospitality industry with "soaring" costs.

The federation's president Andrew Crook said small hospitality businesses were "extremely important to our high streets, villages and shopping parades" and would be missed if they were allowed to close.

"Without swift action from government, it is going to be extremely challenging for many of these businesses," he added.

A government representative said companies "large and small will benefit from the baseline discount through our new energy bills scheme".

They said firms "do not need to apply for it and a higher level of support will be provided to the most energy and trade intensive businesses".

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