A veteran fish and chip shop owner has had to increase his prices as his energy costs have spiralled by £30,000. Harry Haralambous has run Salop Fish bar in Oswestry for 25 years and is starting a new tariff which will see him pay £39,000 per annum. Mr Haralambous previously charged £6.40 for fish and chips but has now had to put up prices to £7.50.
The government has said it is supporting businesses by slashing fuel duty and with a 50% rates relief. “It’s not just gas and electric it’s all your materials,” Mr Haralambous said. “We’ve had the problems with fat that have doubled in price, mainly due to the war in Ukraine. “Fish prices have doubled in the last six months”. The fish shop owner said up until this year, his bills have always been “pretty steady”.
“Overnight it’s gone up £30,000. It’s very hard – that’s a lot of money to try and claw back. “We have just got to crack on, you can either crack on or you can close up. There’s not even a chance of selling up anymore because who would want to buy a business with such uncertainty?” Mr Haralambous said he is also monitoring his equipment to make sure the shop is as efficient as possible. Because businesses are exempt from the price cap, they often negotiate contracts with energy providers.
Mr Haralambous’ contract has come to an end which has coincided with him starting a new one during the cost of living crisis. “Not all shops are going out of contract at the same time, I was on a two-year contract which ends [on 1 September], but there are other shops that signed a five-year contract last year so they won’t be affected for another four or five years by which time everything might have settled down,” the owner said. “At the moment I am pretty sure the customers will come in but come October when they turn their heating on and they have got to pay their bills, that is when the worry starts.”
