Chippy facing constant struggle for survival

Stephanos Constantinou said soaring prices for potatoes and high insurance costs were the latest issues facing a beleaguered industry

Despite the UK exiting recession, a fish and chip shop in Birmingham has said rising costs are still a problem.

Stephanos Constantinou, manager of The Island House Fish and Chip Shop, in Edgbaston, said prices were always changing.

"Tinned roe has more than doubled in price, he said.

"Fish is a volatile market anyway, that has gone up and stayed up. Oil has skyrocketed. Across the board, everything has gone up."

The UK emerged from recession this month, after the economy grew by 0.6% between January and March, the fastest rate for two years.

However, while the overall economy is growing again, many people say they are not yet feeling better off.

"Fish and chips is perceived to be a cheap meal, and it was, but it's not any more," Mr Constantinou said.

"Just because we’ve been told we’ve come out of a recession, it doesn’t actually equate to anything financially for any of us.

"You’ve got wages, gas and electrics, your rates, stock, now the newest once is the insurance.

"Business insurance has tripled, quadrupled for us, and it's harder and harder to make money.”

The shop cooks fresh to order to avoid waste and save money

Soaring food and energy bills have been the main causes behind the UK's high inflation in recent years, and food businesses that use high levels of energy have been among the worst affected.

Inflation for food and non-alcoholic drinks hit almost 20% last year - the highest level seen since the 1970s.

'We’re hopeful'

"The potatoes is probably the scary factor at the moment," Mr Constantinou said.

"Luckily enough we’re contracted, but there’s bags going out for £20 or more per bag."

The takeaway saves money by only cooking to order, which reduces waste.

"We’re not the cheapest, but the food is more than worth it, it's cooked fresh to order and it’s mainly to navigate us through this storm that we’ve been through, and we’re still here," Mr Constantinou said.

He said the firm had little other than hope to cling on to.

"Covid came, we were hopeful. The war in Ukraine, the gas and electric, we were hopeful. Now the spuds are going to sky rocket again, we’re hopeful.

"You just have to be hopeful."