Hartlepool's LilyAnne's shop fears high energy bills

Angela Arnold and Trevor Sherwood said the rise in LilyAnne's energy bill was not sustainable

A coffee shop set up to support people in need fears for its future if its energy bills keep rising.

LilyAne's in Hartlepool, which aims to help reduce loneliness and social isolation, has seen its bill quadruple.

Project manager Trevor Sherwood said the increase was "devastating" and called for "urgent support" from the government.

New Prime Minister Liz Truss has vowed to tackle the energy crisis, with a freeze on bills expected.

Mr Sherwood said the cafe's latest bill was £2,485, which "absolutely shocked" staff, with the most expensive previous bills being £580.

He told BBC Look North: "We have never seen a bill like this before.

"We are a little bit shocked, we don't know how long a quadruple bill is sustainable for."

'Scary prospect'

He said the new bill had hit the cafe's reserves, adding: "We just need to find a way out to be honest.

"We can't keep going on with rising costs."

Customer services coordinator Angela Arnold said the bill was equal to three people's wages and the café may have to look at reducing its six-strong workforce.

She said reducing its community work and opening hours would have a big impact on those people the coffee shop aims to help, adding: "If people don't feel like they have somewhere they can turn, that's a scary prospect."

A freeze on energy bills is understood to be one of a number of options being worked up in Whitehall to help struggling households to cope with the soaring cost of gas and electricity.

Energy industry sources expect the government to back freezing bills.

Ms Truss said: "I will deliver on the energy crisis, dealing with people's energy bills but also dealing with the long-term issues we have on energy supply."