Concerns over pub closures on the Yorkshire Coast due to rising costs
It's being described as a make-or-break moment for the sector
It is claimed 2,000 pubs in the UK could be at risk of closing this year if they do not get Government support.
It is being described as a make-or-break moment for the sector, with the combination of high costs and predictions of declining beer sales.
Ellen Senior, manager of the Whitby Way pub and The Ship in Scarborough. said: "Our gas and electric alone has sky rocketed compared to this time last year. It's really crazy money. Prices just in general as well and I know it sounds daft but even something as simple as ice and fruit it's essential for the pub but they're just starting to cost more and more as well.
"It's very hard for us to put our prices up because the customers are going through it as well. They have a cost of living crisis going on, they can't afford to be paying more and they're having to watch their spending as it is. When there was Covid, we had the tax cut so something like that again would be a massive help because it would stop us from putting our prices up and keep things a bit more level.
"There's been quite a few pubs that have just totally closed. There was a massive restaurant and pub close in Whitby but then again, there's quite a lot that isn't permanently closed but they've had to drastically adjust their opening hours, because it's just not viable to stay open with the cost of electric and gas without the footfall."