It’s been deemed “insignificant” compared to other national news. It’s been ignored by a Government whose sole focus seems to be on those at the top. Yet the rising cost of living is affecting real people in the real world, right now - not least the hard-working, talented minds behind our city’s vital and varied independent businesses. With a challenging winter on the horizon, how are these firms feeling, and are those in charge of the country doing enough to help? We find out…
Jessica Collins
Castle Rock Brewery
From the perspective of the brewery, we've been slowly recovering after the pandemic. Things probably look a little bit different than before in the fact that we brew less beer and we’ve decreased our radius for delivery. On the pubs side of things, it's a lot more optimistic. It's been really nice to welcome people back after lockdown and we’ve definitely felt the support of people in Nottingham, which has been brilliant to see.
Looking forward, every part of the brewing process relies on electricity, so we’re definitely feeling the impact of a massive increase in energy bills, and in terms of our supplies, the cost of CO2 has already doubled as the price cap has just been lifted. And from a sales perspective, it feels like the calm before the storm, because we haven't necessarily felt that pinch yet - but I fear that we will when people have to put the heating on and it gets a bit colder, household bills start to rise and customers have less disposable income. We're waiting to see what happens there. When people are feeling the hit, the last penny that many will spend is on leisure.
Yet we want to emphasise that our pubs will be open, the heating will be on and people are always welcome. For the price of a coffee or a beer, they can come and warm themselves up and be part of a community over the winter. That’s a key message for us. We’re also asking people to use #LoveYourLocal on social media to spread the message that local pubs should be cherished and looked after, because they're special and play such a crucial role within communities. Our pubs are about more than just a drink, they’re about bringing people together.
Luisa Vicinanza-Bedi
Luisa’s Vegan Chocolates
We’re increasingly relying on internet sales, because we’ve seen a decline in footfall around Sneinton since the pandemic. We’ve had requests to start selling our chocolate in Europe, but because of Brexit it’s difficult to do that. In fact, we’ve found it easier to sell in the United States, and have just set up an agent for us to do so there.
We’re Nottingham’s only bean-to-bar chocolate shop, which has meant we’ve been faced with rising energy bills - as we use a lot of machinery to process and produce our bars. And that’s on top of rising costs for supplies, largely caused by us leaving the EU. Shipping costs for the cocoa beans are up by 400%, electricity in our mini factory is up by 250%, postage has risen by 15% and other raw materials are up by 5%, so we’re definitely being affected right now. Another challenge has come from opening a second unit to store our machines and increase supply, so we’re navigating that at the moment.
We’re trying to maintain our affordable prices though, because we know everyone will be struggling financially this winter. We’re also making sure we continue to pay a premium price to our farmers, as this is a key focus of the business. We’re hoping that people will still feel that they’re able to have a small treat every now and then, and that they’ll come to us for that. Outside of visiting the store, we always encourage people to spread the word on social media and leave reviews. That always means the world.
Ben Rose
The Angel Microbrewery
The past few months have been going really well. It's nice to be doing gigs again, and supporting the local independent music scene. Energy costs are definitely a worry, though. The brewery itself uses a lot of energy, and then obviously being a music venue, you have to power technology that relies on a lot of juice. Then it comes down to whether we pass that cost on to the promoters that want to hire our venue, or put prices up for customers - but everybody has less disposable income, so they’re less likely to come here if they can’t afford it. Ultimately, you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.
We haven’t had enough support from the Government - we never do. Even during the lockdowns, we eventually got some help, but it wasn't until after they fed all their friends first, and we were left with the scraps. The main thing people can do to help is kick off with their local government and tell them to pull their finger out and do more. We should be taxing the hell out of all the powerhouses in the energy industry, which is just not happening. If we don’t act, we could lose the independent businesses that bring character to the city. Without them, you’re just left with big corporations and big chains, and there’s a homogenisation of where you can go and what you can do, which would be a real shame.
Andrew Constantinou
Sea & Earth Fish & Chips
The business is doing very well in terms of sales, mainly because people connect with our commitment to our ethics and quality, but continually rising costs are putting immense pressure on our finances. Fish costs have doubled, as has the price of oil and many other products we use, but the biggest challenge is utilities, which are costing us £5,000 a month - up from £2,000. We are told that utilities, fish and oil prices are being affected by the war in Ukraine, yet utilities were on the increase even before the conflict.
My dad has been in business for 35 years and has never seen anything like this. We need VAT to be reduced immediately, or we could see so many firms close in the next few months. We also need to keep getting the message out there and let those in charge know that small firms can’t be bullied into immediate, sky-high payments - payments that will cause many to close. I think, where they can, customers should try to support independents and show compassion and empathy. Please spend your money locally where possible!
Shaun Hoolan
Wild Clothing
From a spending point of view, we’re doing okay. Our prices will be affected by our suppliers, so they may be influenced by increased shipping costs, but our electricity bills are reasonably low - we’re lucky to have secured a fixed deal so we've been safe from any ridiculous rises. Probably around 70% of our customers are students, and hopefully they’ll keep spending - especially because bills are often included in their rent, so should remain steady. As prices rise more generally, more people will likely turn to second-hand and vintage clothing, too, as our prices won’t be affected by the growing costs of creating brand new products. So, hopefully we’ll be okay. You've got to keep positive about it.
People in Nottingham can help by not just supporting independents with their money, but by posting positive things online. It might not sound like a lot, but it's always nice when you see somebody tag you on Instagram, getting the word out about the shop. Everything counts.
Marc Paling
Prickly Pear
We recently moved into the Golden Fleece, which has gone really well. It’s a nice environment and sets us up with a commercial kitchen, so we’ve been able to increase the speed and quality of our service. There are loads of reasons why we made the move. Our tenancy was coming to an end, and we were mulling over whether to extend - but the rising costs made the decision easier. We’re also good friends with the team at the Golden Fleece, so it became a case of two mates helping each other through a tough time. And we felt we’d outgrown our previous space over the years, so we’re able to expand now.
In terms of rising costs, the price of ingredients like rapeseed oil has doubled since we first opened, and our electricity bill has skyrocketed in recent months. We’ve had no real support from the Government to help us out with this. We received a lot during COVID, which we appreciated, but strangely that was the easiest period of the last few years - it’s been very difficult since we reopened. We’re hoping people can find the money to avoid big chains when they can, and focus on supporting independents where possible - even if it’s just one trip a month for a cup of coffee or a beer, it makes a big difference to us.
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