'I can't sleep' Owners face closure as bills soar

Weeping Cross fish bar, Stafford "I just don't know how I can stay in business," said John Evans of the Weeping Cross fish bar in Stafford

- Patrick Collinson and Joanna Partridge

"We are a small 5 metre by 10 metre takeaway-only premises. The renewal on our gas has just come through. It has gone from £9,000 ($10,500) to £32,000 a year. I can't sleep at night." Before the rise in gas bills, chip shops had already been hit after Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused a doubling in the price of some fish and cooking oil. Meanwhile, the UK drought has pushed up prices of potatoes by 25%.

"I'd have to charge £12.95 for a fillet of haddock just to break even," said Evans.

The industry is demanding help from the government, such as a cut in the VAT rate, which was reduced to 5% during the Covid lockdown but is now back to 20%.