A North East coffee shop which survived the pandemic has announced they will have to shut their doors due to the cost of living crisis, despite being busier than ever.
Phixx Coffee Lounge in Skinnergate, Darlington has announced it will be closing at the end of the month despite having its busiest two months.
Amy Alderson, 38, co-owner and manager of the coffee shop, said their energy bills had risen from £800 per quarter to £1,500 per month.
Ms Alderson made the announcement on social media on Saturday, 17 September the store would close due to these costs.
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She said the store does not have a confirmed closing date, but she expects it to close in the next two weeks.
She told The Northern Echo: “We pay about £800 a quarter and the quotes we’ve been getting have been coming out at £1,500 a month.
“So essentially, it’s more than a weeks-worth of takings extra a month we need to find.
“The last few months have been great, busier than ever, that is just not doable.
“It’s the energy, that’s the killer at the minute. Especially with winter coming where it’s going to be quieter anyway, if it wasn’t for that we’d be absolutely fine.”
Explaining that the business had survived numerous lockdowns over the pandemic, Ms Alderson said the situation had become "out of her hands."
She said: “There’s too many bills, and rent and everything, due next month, we’re going to be at a loss and there’s going to be too much coming out.
“It’s not a ‘use us or lose us’, there’s nothing that can be done. It’s out of my hands.”
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Ms Alderson said her staff and regulars have become more like friends and is saddened she will not be able to keep the store open for them.
She also called on the government to provide more support for small businesses in the form of interest-free loans or grants to prevent similar closures and protect workers’ jobs.
“[The government] are not thinking of the little people, it’s not just the business owners, it’s the staff as well. It puts them out of a job as well as the business.
“I’m more concerned about the staff.”
She said the store is still receiving lots of customers but energy costs are equal to more than a weeks’ worth of revenue extra a month.
She thanked her customers and staff for supporting the store and has urged people to support local businesses.
She said: “Use them or lose them, because if you don’t, then it will only be a matter of months before they’re gone as well.”
Phixx Coffee Lounge has been open since 2019 and is run by Ms Alderson and her husband Chris.
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