A Darlington couple has spoken out two years after opening their business to highlight the struggles they face during the cost of living crisis and their struggle to stay afloat despite a supportive customer base.
It has now been two years since Aimee and Richard Bland, aged 39 and 45, set up the CuriosiTeas Play Café in the Queen Street Shopping Centre.
A gap in the market for a safe space for young families to play and relax led the former mental health nurse and army veteran to take the leap not long after their daughter was born in Spring 2020.
However, as the cost of living continues to bite, the couple has opened up about their struggles with rent, an electricity bill reaching a staggering £10,000, staffing, VAT costs, and what it's really like to own and operate a small business in Darlington.
Despite a good customer base and a load of support, things are still difficult for the pair.
"It has been hard work over the past few years," Aimee began.
"For quite a long time, we weren't even able to pay ourselves at all. We were struggling."
Richard added: "There still is no guarantee we are able to - the cost of VAT is insane. It's bonkers - it's quite crippling. We got hit with a massive bill."
The couple then went on to explain how just a year in they received a whopping £10,000 electricity bill - which they are still paying off to this day.
Aimee continued: "It was dreadful. That's why we are struggling with lots of other things because we are paying off other stuff."
Aimee said: "We were so close to closing down just a few months ago. We were going to walk away - the summer is a really hard time for us.
"We were saying, let's just walk away. We can double the amount of people who come to us during the winter. But, lot of people are, thankfully, talking about us now which is good," Richard agreed.
Heading into this winter, the pair explained how during winter, their busier period, they try to make money last across to summer, their quieter months.
But pressing bills including energy, food, and staffing make that hard.
"Energy is a huge concern," said Richard. "That coupled in with VAT, wages too, it's a lot. It's worrying."
A "catch 22" is the words that were then used by Richard who explained that the more money the business earns, the more VAT (20% in their case) they pay in the end because their turnover is more than £90,000.
As for whether CuriosiTeas will survive, the couple say "it depends".
Aimee agreed: "We know of other businesses who have closed. It has been a real pull. On one side we say 'right, we aren't doing it anymore' - we are putting in so much time and effort.
"But we do have so many lovely customers and that is the joy that comes out of it. People say they would hate if we closed."
"But that doesn't pay the bills, does it?" Richard added.
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Despite their struggles in keeping CuriosiTeas alive, they say the past two years have been hugely rewarding.
Aimee said: "The customers genuinely like us as much as the business. It's good to see that people who have been anxious and have not been able to go out previously have been able to come here and make friends.
"We've helped people be a part of that."
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