KENDAL Rugby Club faces a huge energy bill rise as its contract ends at the end of the month. 

The Shap Road club predicts that its energy bill will double from '17 or 18p per kilowatt hour' to 38p - meaning a yearly cost of up to £80,000.

Although energy prices have slowly come down from before Christmas, with Russia embargoing gas to countries supporting Ukraine and inflation the bills remain high. Energy prices are not capped for businesses in the same way that they are for households. 

Stephen Green, the chairman of Kendal Rugby Club, said: "Everybody is going to be feeling energy increases. We are trying to find the best route. Our contract ends at the end of this month. It is going to be a substantial increase.

"We won't get any discount on our bills. It is very expensive. What we are talking about is we were paying 17 or 18p per kilowatt hour on the old energy contract. The cheapest one is 38p so it is essentially double. 

"I know we use less in the summer than we do in the winter but on average we are paying between £60,000 to £80,000 a year. It is a substantial increase. 

"We have to be very careful about our spending. It is a perfect storm. People who would have spent money at their local rugby club won't go out as much."

Mr Green said that a 'substantial amount of our income' comes from the hospitality sector.

The concern over future income has put a question mark over what facilities the club can provide in adverse weather.

"If it is a very dry season and we need to water the grass we are not in a position to go ahead with that. We have to be very careful," he said.

Despite this, Mr Green is hopeful for the future of the club.

The upcoming Kendal vs Kirkby Lonsdale derby on Saturday, January 14 is one of the biggest events of the year for the club. 

He said that the 'three months out of winter' will be the most difficult part and it is a 'relief' once the evenings get lighter and the floodlights can be turned off.