Suffolk Firms Damaged by High Energy Costs

John Dugmore, chief executive of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, warned that high energy costs and fears about supply security are damaging Suffolk firms.  His warning comes after a month of price rises by UK utility companies, British Gas, npower, and EDF Energy.
Mr. Dugmore said that in the context of rising prices, local firms’ costs had increased greatly and it was reducing the amount of money consumers could spend.
He explained,“Price instability and fears about the security of supply are increasingly affecting our members and their ability to do business.

“High energy prices are pushing up business costs, dampening consumer spending, and adding to the inflationary pressures already affecting the economy.”

Mr Dugmore said the Chamber had tried to assist businesses in Suffolk to manage the energy price rises.

“The Chamber is working hard with its members to assist in tackling these spiralling energy costs via our free energy assessments, through which the Chamber Utilities scheme can test the market to see if the organisation is getting the most competitive deal.

He stated that the results of this program were good – to date, members that had been assisted by the council saved more than £84,000 - on average a saving of 25 per cent on previous bills.
The council’s news is welcome news to the ears of local business people.  Petrol in the UK is at an historic high and banks are not as willing to lend money because of concern regarding the financial markets.

www.britishgas.co.uk