A KENDAL pub has vowed to fight on despite seeing a £80,000 rise in their annual energy bill.

Ye Olde Fleece Inn at Highgate currently pays £44,000 for its annual electricity bill. But last week it was quoted a figure of £124,000 for the 12 months from Christmas.

“I was absolutely horrified,” said Chris Moss, a director of Westmorland Hospitality, which runs the Fleece, as well as the Duke of Cumberland and The Gateway Inn in the town.

“We had obviously expected the charge to rise but I had to ring the broker and double check the figure I had been given. And the price has probably increased again since then.”

The company is still waiting to discover what it will have to pay in electricity charges at its other two inns and what the gas charges will be for all three.

“The staff at the Fleece are absolutely stressed out about all this and are worried about their jobs,” said Chris.

“But we appreciate how important our inns are to the community. I want to assure staff and local people that we will do all we can to keep serving the community going forward, no matter what.”

The company is still waiting to discover what it will have to pay in electricity charges at its other two inns and what the gas charges will be for all three.

He added: “The staff at the Fleece are absolutely stressed out about all this and are worried about their jobs.

“But we appreciate how important our inns are to the community.

“I want to assure staff and local people that we will do all we can to keep serving the community going forward, no matter what.”

Facilities at Ye Olde Fleece Inn include a fully waited-on restaurant, a gastropub and bar area seating 80 people, a lounge, meeting and conference facilities and a function room.

Several community groups meet at the inn.

Chris said Ye Olde Fleece Inn would look at how it could reduce its energy usage.

“In the kitchen we shall look at stopping some of the intense energy processes, such as using the Salamander," he said.

“We shall look at the energy which goes into cooking every dish, but this will only make a small difference.

“In the cellar we shall also look at how we cool our beer – but you have to keep beer cool.

“We’ll use our log fires much more, instead of the radiators, and we’ll keep candles burning.”

Chris added: “People say just close for the winter but this is long-term problem.”

He warned there was a danger that the whole hospitality sector could collapse in the United Kingdom and was fearful of the impact rising energy prices would have on all businesses and on GP surgeries and nursing homes.

“Unless something is done about this, we are going to have an absolute catastrophe this winter in terms of businesses shutting and towns becoming ghost towns,” said Chris.

“This is a ticking timebomb.

“We are calling for Government assistance. This could be in the form of reduced VAT, reduced business rates, a cap on commercial energy or even the Government taking things in-house and actually providing the energy itself.”

The owners have appeared on several prominent platforms, including Jeremy Vine and BBC Radio Cumbria to discuss the issue.

MP Tim Farron has spoken about how rising bills is a concern for businesses across the industry. 

Tim said: “Every day I am contacted by local businesses who are seeing their energy bills rise by frankly unaffordable amounts.

“I am massively worried that dozen and dozens of businesses will be left with no choice but to either lose staff or fold altogether.

“This is nothing short of a catastrophe and I’m afraid it is unacceptable that the Government have so far refused to do anything to support employers and workers during this time of crisis.

“We desperately need a COVID-style package of support if we are to avoid a winter of businesses going under.”

A Government spokesperson said: “No national government can control the global factors pushing up the price of energy and other business costs, but we will continue to support businesses in navigating the months ahead.  

“We are currently providing a 50% business rates relief for businesses across the UK, freezing alcohol duty rates on beer, cider, wine and spirits and reducing employer national insurance.

"This is in addition to the billions in grants and loans offered throughout the pandemic.

“Local government in England was awarded £3.7 billion more this financial year than last.

"We are working closely with councils to understand the impact inflation will have on their budgets.”