Fish and chip shops across the region say they are continuing to struggle as the price of ingredients and energy soars.
Ingredients such as fish have doubled according to some shops, and flour, oil and potatoes have also shot up in price.
The news comes as Brits have been warned that the price of the nation’s favourite dish, could soar due to a shortage of ingredients.
Will Burrell, manager at Yarm Road Fish and Chips in Darlington said that everything on his supply list “had gone up in price over the past year.”
He continued to add that although he is doing okay at the moment, things are looking a bit “bleak.”
He added: “At the moment we are going okay, there’s no imminent worries in terms of will we make it through, but the margins just aren’t there anymore.
“Aside from the ingredients, energy prices are just absolutely crazy at the moment, we just signed a new energy contract for our gas and electric and that’s more than doubled and we’re locked into that for three years.”
Mr Burrell added that despite these worries, he wants to hold off increasing prices “for as long as we can.”
He said: “We’re trying not to because of the cost of living crisis that we’re coming up against.
“We’re trying to hold our prices as much as possible at the moment, but whether or not our hand will be forced is another matter.
“In all honesty, our trade hasn’t really dropped that much to be fair, but every Monday morning you wake up and think, ‘right how are we going to feel the squeeze today.’
“But touch wood, it is going okay, we kind of feel that if we keep putting quality stuff out, we will be able to ride the storm.”
Despite this, Mr Burrell does feel the Government can be doing a lot more to help the industry.
He added: “The government absolutely could be doing a lot more, for our industry, which is quite a unique industry, it is VAT that’s killing us at the moment.
“the system as a whole needs to be fairer and it needs to be cut, we are in a fortune position where we are a busy little shop, but I don’t know how the smaller shops will survive with the current VAT rate.”
Indy Singh at Clem's in Bishop Auckland said the shop has had to adapt to bring customers different orders to help combat the “struggle.”
He also admitted that the shop has been forced to increase prices, bringing the price of fish and chips up to £9.
Mr Singh added: “Obviously with the cost of living crisis, people don’t have as much money because it’s all going on the gas and electricity.
“I’m paying £2,500 a month now at this business, it’s ridiculous.”
He continued to stress and confirm that fish was the most expensive ingredient, but others have also shot up.
He added: “All the other ingredients have also gone up, so flour, your sausage, everything you need to run a day to day fish shop have all shot up as well.
“At the moment we’re just trying to ride out the storm until the prices stabilize a bit.”
Mr Singh also feels the government could be doing a lot more.
He said: “I know the National Fish Friers Federation have been onto the government and asking them to step in to help us out.
“Fish and chips are a favourite food for the nation and this is a livelihood for many. I’ve even emailed Dehenna Davison about it.”
We spoke to Julie Kilding, owner of Mike’s Fish Bar in Newton Aycliffe, back in May.
She revealed that things have not improved since then but they are still able to keep surviving.
The business has just signed a new contract for the gas and electric, but Ms Kilding said she doesn’t “know how people who have come out of contract now are getting on, I dread to think.”
She added: “The prices of ingredients are still going up, but we’re okay the moment, not as well as we were, we wouldn’t mind a bit of extra support from the Government, but I think everyone does at the moment.
Ms Kilding confirmed that she hadn’t noticed a reduced amount of customers and feels people haven’t changed their eating habits.
She added: “I think people still like their treats, so there maybe a little change in the purchase habits but on the whole we’re still getting the customers through at the moment.”
Prices have also not been increased at Mike’s Fish Bar she confirmed, despite the troubles.
She added: “We’re fortunate that we’re still on a contract and I don’t think the general public know that businesses aren’t protected by a cap like normal consumers are.
“So it’s good we are in that contract for now.”
The news comes after just a few weeks ago Matt Vickers, MP for Stockton South, said the industry was in “dire straits” and that a third of chippies are now under threat of closing entirely due to the stresses.
He said: “It’s no surprise when the prices of every ingredient – from a bag of chips to vegetable oil right down to the paper used to wrap the food – have grown exponentially.
“As a nation of fish and chip enthusiasts, we must support our local shops. It really is a case of ‘use them or lose them’.
“There’s plenty we can do from a consumer level; we can choose to buy British-caught haddock or hake instead of imported cod from our local chip shop and we can continue our patronage where we can despite the higher prices.”
“As Brits, it is our patriotic duty to ensure that the Great British chippy remains a staple of our dining tables.”
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