POWYS food businesses are facing gigantic bills this winter – putting a lot of them under huge strain.

While new measures have been introduced to limit the impact of spiralling energy prices cafes, takeaways and pubs say their costs are still set to soar.

Andrew Meek who runs the award winning 7 Pizza Parlour in Newtown said the crisis has been underestimated.

“You cannot put the prices up the matching the prices of the stock you buy in because people just wouldn’t buy anything,” he said.

“We only put prices up by about 10 per cent whereas my energy bills have gone up by 100 per cent.

“Last year cooking oil was £4 per five litres, its now £10.95 – and you can’t pass that kind of price increase on to the customer.

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“I am very lucky to have retired from the police and I’ve got a pension. If I didn’t have that I’d just get rid of the shop.”

He also does not have a lot of faith in the new measures being brought in to cap energy bills.

“It’s risen that greatly it wouldn’t make a great deal of difference because I’ve already been hit,” said Mr Meek.

Maria Nicolaou who runs the Silverfish fish and chip restaurant in Newtown said the bills are leaving her feeling anxious.

“It’s just increasing every month – it’s tripled,” she said.

County Times: Andy Meek at Seven Pizza in Newtown. Pic: Phil Blagg.Andy Meek at Seven Pizza in Newtown. Pic: Phil Blagg. (Image: Rob Davies/Powys County Times)

“The winter is coming so your trade drops, you’ve got the lights, you’ve got things running when it’s quiet.

“The chip shop was a very cheap meal before but all of the suppliers have put all their prices up. It’s the stock that you use, fish has tripled, the oil has tripled so it’s not just the gas and electric.

“We’ve always respected that keeping a good price to respect your customers.

“I just don’t want to think about what is going to happen this time next year.

“I’m lucky I’ve had parents who’ve worked hard to be where they are and I’m trying to keep that going for them but I don’t know what the future will bring for us unless the government does help us.”

Jo Harris who runs Coco’s in Welshpool says she has also faced severe price rises.

“The increase has been unbelievable because dairy has gone up madly,” she said.

“We have local ladies making our cakes who have kept it to a minimum but they have increased. The large companies have increased hugely.”

“My electricity before any increase, I used to pay I used to pay £600 to 800 per month I now pay £1,800 minimum. The government has stepped in now, it was going to go up to £5,000 per month.”

Ms Harris says she has had luckily only had to put up very minor price increases across the menu.

“I would say since Covid, people have generally loved the independents we’ve got lovely friendly staff it’s completely different to what the chains do,” she said.

“I’m always positive, you’ve got to be positive not negative. If you go into work and think ‘oh my god this is happening, that’s happening’ - that doesn’t help the morale of the staff. We’ve got a great team, everyone has stepped up.”