"How in the name of God is this possible?"
Poppyfields Café were in for a shock when they received their electricity bill, spanning for just over two months from the 8th June to the 19th August 2022. A small café in Westmeath, they in no way expected their electricity bill for 73 days to sit at just under €10k.
Poppyfields took to Twitter to lament the bill, saying:
"I got this electricity bill today, how in the name of God is this possible."
I got this electricity bill today, how in the name of God is this possible, we're a small coffee shop in westmeath pic.twitter.com/uz5J8BePhB
— poppyfields cafe.🇺🇦 (@DolanGeraldine) August 29, 2022
Anthony Remedy, who has worked in Irish hospitality for two decades, responded to the tweet demanding government intervention.
This is only the beginning, it’s only real when you get the bills. Been banging about this for ages now but this is disaster waiting to happen unless gov get involved. https://t.co/37XwY0ASLq
— Anthony Remedy (@anthonyremedy) August 30, 2022
In a follow up tweet he made the point that people only receive the bill after using the electricity, which is incredibly stress inducing. To put it plainly he said, "This is unsustainable."
Also remember, you get the bill after you have used the elec. So people only understand when the bills arrive. Imagine the stress that cafe owner is going through at the mo. This is unsustainable and isn’t a stretch to say will really fuck up people’s lives FAST.
— Anthony Remedy (@anthonyremedy) August 30, 2022
Poppyfields café recently won the award for Best Casual Dining in Westmeath at the Irish Restaurant Awards 2022. That they could struggle to continue operating due to electricity prices is an awful shame, and requires immediate intervention.
Lovin has reached out to the Restaurant Association of Ireland for comment on the difficulty hospitality owners will face with the hike in electricity prices.
Header image via Twitter/DolanGeraldine
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