Essex arcade owner warns customers "use us or lose us" amidst energy crisis
They're struggling with skyrocketing energy costs
According to their owners, Essex's famous beach front amusement arcades may not survive the winter as they struggle to cope with skyrocketing energy prices. - unless they get help soon.
Martin Richardson has run the Happidrome Arcade on Southend seafront for over ten years. He says times haver changed for the industry: "Leisure and tourism has taken one of the biggest hits going.
"We've now become a luxury. We used to be a vital part of a traditional British seaside holiday... now we get fewer people in and they're spending less money."
Business owners around the country have been doing their best to cope with increasing costs, and Martin says he's no different: "Our electricity bills have trebled.
"We're now spending between £4-500 a day on electricity and then you have to add on the cost of three members of staff, your rent, rates and general running costs - we really need a bigger volume of people coming through the door."
He says his industry is in a uniquely difficult position: "Tesco can put the price of milk up if the farmer puts their price up. You tell me how I can put a 2p machine up in price?
"The only thing you can do is cut the quality, or amount of toys you give away, but that's not what we're doing.
"We're trying to rely on a greater number of people staycation-ing in the UK. Is it working? Not this year, no."
If prices continue to rise, and the arcade sees fewer customers, Martin's not optimistic about the future: "It's really hard to even look to winter, we're looking at things on a daily basis... we'll definitely be closing more than usual over winter...
"We're thinking about staff cuts. Last year, we had five staff out on the floor, today we've got two, because that's all that's needed. People aren't coming out."
Martin would like to see the government do more to help the sector: "People who use more electricity should get better rates and a better discount...We need a better tax break, we don't need to pay so much VAT, it's the only way we can survive.
"Our industry is fearful for a long, bleak winter."
He's got a clear message for anyone who enjoys an afternoon visiting the arcades: "I don't know where it's going to go from here... I'd like to know, but it's not looking good for any of this sector.
"You've got to use it or lose it."