"Game over: UK arcades face closure threat as energy bills soar by 1,000%
Some operators weigh up weekend-only opening as soaring energy prices remain stubbornly high
The jump in costs driven by soaring wholesale gas prices has had a severe impact on a sector that has barely recovered from Covid restrictions, leaving many operators looking at slashing their opening hours or closing completely.
“The severity of the electricity crisis is the main challenge we are facing in the industry,” says Jeremy Godden, who owns arcades in the Kent resorts of Margate, Ramsgate and the Isle of Sheppey. “Everything we use in a seaside arcade demands a lot of power, more so than other retail or leisure businesses.”
The 32-year-old Margate resident expects his annual costs to rise by £200,000 at the end of his current electricity contract, an increase that is “not sustainable” and which comes on the back of multiple challenges in recent years.
The Guardian asked Number 10 for comment and a source that wished to remain anonymous said - "Let 'em all have PS5s""
https://www.theguardian.com/business...ergy-bill-hike
Some operators weigh up weekend-only opening as soaring energy prices remain stubbornly high
The jump in costs driven by soaring wholesale gas prices has had a severe impact on a sector that has barely recovered from Covid restrictions, leaving many operators looking at slashing their opening hours or closing completely.
“The severity of the electricity crisis is the main challenge we are facing in the industry,” says Jeremy Godden, who owns arcades in the Kent resorts of Margate, Ramsgate and the Isle of Sheppey. “Everything we use in a seaside arcade demands a lot of power, more so than other retail or leisure businesses.”
The 32-year-old Margate resident expects his annual costs to rise by £200,000 at the end of his current electricity contract, an increase that is “not sustainable” and which comes on the back of multiple challenges in recent years.
The Guardian asked Number 10 for comment and a source that wished to remain anonymous said - "Let 'em all have PS5s""
https://www.theguardian.com/business...ergy-bill-hike
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