Help with energy bills is good news, but I’m still scared
A SMALL business owner has welcomed the Government’s plans to offset the cost of energy bills as part of the Budget.
Yesterday it was confirmed that businesses will get up to €10,000 a month towards their electricity or gas bills as part of new €1billion scheme.
Small to medium enterprises will have 40% of their increases in electricity or gas bills paid, with a maximum of €10,000 a month.
Petra Kriva, founder and owner of the award-winning Yumm Café in Kanturk, Co. Cork, told Extra.ie that she has yet to receive her next bill, so she is still not sure how much the Government scheme will help her.
But she pointed out that her last bill was 50% higher than the previous one.
Ms Kriva said it was ‘scary’ waiting for her upcoming bill, as she kept hearing about other businesses being hit with huge increases.
She noted that small businesses like hers could still be faced with overwhelming bills.
‘There is a lot of money to pay extra, because this is not the only extra expense we’re paying,’ Ms Kriva commented.
She also noted that her increased outgoings don’t stop at her bills, but also extend to costs for ingredients which have gone up by 10% to 30% in recent months.
Ms Kriva said: ‘At the end of the month it is a lot. I can see the difference. But I did increase the price a small bit, not too much, and not on everything.’
She also said that while none of her customers has mentioned the increases to her, she remains fearful of increasing her prices to the extent they could be deemed overpriced.
‘I didn’t have one single customer complaining about the price,’ Ms Kriva commented. ‘I’m sure they all understand because I’m not increasing the prices because I want to. My costs are up.
‘Basically, I have no choice. But I’m not going mad.’
Her café celebrated its third anniversary in September and will soon move to a new location.