Cost of living: Felixstowe bakery gets energy rate reduced

A baker who faced closing his business due to increased costs said his energy rate has been halved.

Andy Cole, from The Bakery, in Felixstowe, Suffolk, told the BBC his bills had gone up from £800 per month to £6,500.

But since the the 700% increase and the shop's potential closure were reported by BBC Radio Suffolk, Smartest Energy has halved his rate, he said.

The BBC has approached Smartest Energy for comment.

Mr Cole, who has run the bakery on Hamilton Road for 12 years, previously said he was getting charged up to 80p a unit.

But the energy company has reduced it to 40p a unit, he said.

• Bakery faces closure after 700% energy bill hike

• Energy bill support for firms to be cut from April

• The small businesses closing due to rising costs

Mr Cole said although he was pleased to get his rate reduced, the cost was still higher than before and he was going to have to increase his prices to plug the shortfall.

"We've been putting off putting the prices up but it's going to come in in a day or two and it has to be a substantial increase," he said.

He said he hoped his customers would understand.

The Bakery is on Hamilton Road, Felixstowe's main shopping street