Walton Street Market shoppers on coping with the cost of living
MANY ARE MAKING CHANGES
THE cost of living crisis has become a defining issue of 2022, with many local people having to scrimp and save like never before.
And on a day when inflation reached a record high of 9 per cent, due to the soaring cost of energy, as well as food prices, people in Hull said they were finding it harder and harder to get by.
We visited Walton Street Market on Wednesday to find out how residents were coping with the rising cost of living.
Many said they were making changes to cope with the higher cost of everyday essentials, including shopping at the market instead of the supermarket.
But stall-holders are also facing price rises and now face having to charge more at the tills.
Shoppers Jim Dunn, 71 and his wife Ann, 69, said they were fortunate to be retired, but feared energy prices would continue to rise. Jim said: “It’s difficult, but what can we do? You’ve just got to take it on the chin.
“We’re fortunate because we’re retired and it’s not hurting us, yet. If the energy prices continue to go up every three months like I heard the other day, then that’s when we’ll be in trouble.”
Jim added: “You can go to Iceland and buy ready meals for £1. I know some people turn their noses up at that and it might not be the best stuff, but at least it keeps you going.
“The Government doesn’t listen to any of us, that’s the problem. They have no idea.”
Margaret Stamp, 68 said: “Absolutely everything is more expensive now. I want to go on holiday just to get away from it all. Everything was so much cheaper ten years ago and it’s so much harder for people to get jobs now.”
Another shopper, Franca, said: “The cost of living has gone up so much. It is so much harder to get by these days. I come to Walton Street market to get a lot of my stuff because the prices keep going up in the supermarkets. Even in Lidl, the price of fruit has risen, so I get it all from here now.”
The last time the cost of living was this high was in 1982, when Margaret Thatcher was PM, shops shut on a Sunday and there were only three TV channels. Now, many families are struggling to make ends meet.
Pamela Pitman, 67 said: “My gas and electricity bills are crippling me. Shopping isn’t so bad as I’m on my own, but when my grandkids are over it’s hard because you want to give them everything you can.
“The government just do whatever they want. It’s really hard at the moment.”
Spencer Winterbottom, 53 said: “Everything is going up, you name it. I’m paying so much more for my fuel now and it’s ridiculous.
“The cost of burgers for my van has gone up. I’m paying nearly twice as much now just for the lids on our coffee cups. It’s so tough.”