Edgbaston chip shop faces a constant battle for survival

Despite the UK’s exit from recession, a Birmingham fish and chip shop said rising costs were still a problem.

Stephanos Constantinou, manager of The Island House Fish and Chip Shop, in Edgbaston, said prices were always changing.

“The price of canned roe has more than doubled,” he said.

“Anyway, fish is a volatile market that has gone up and stayed. Oil has skyrocketed. In general, everything has gone up.”

Britain emerged from recession this month after the economy grew by 0.6% between January and March, the fastest rate in two years.

However, while the overall economy is growing again, many people say they are still not feeling better.

“Fish and chips is perceived to be a cheap meal, and it was, but it’s not anymore,” Mr Constantinou said.

“Just because we’re told we’re out of a recession doesn’t mean anything financially to any of us.

“You have wages, gas and electricity, your rates, stock, now the newest once is insurance.

“Business insurance has tripled, quadrupled for us, and it’s getting harder and harder to make money.”

Rising food and energy bills have been the main drivers behind high inflation in the UK in recent years, and food businesses that use high levels of energy have been among the worst hit.

Inflation for food and non-alcoholic drinks reached almost 20% last year – the highest level since the 1970s.

“Potatoes are probably the fear factor at the moment,” Mr Constantinou said.

“Thankfully we have a contract, but bags of £20 or more per bag are being removed.”

The takeaway saves money by only cooking to order, which reduces waste.

“We’re not the cheapest, but the food is worth more than that, it’s cooked fresh to order and it’s mainly to navigate through this storm that we’ve been through and we’re still here,” Mr Constantinou said.

He said the firm has nothing but hope to cling to.

“Covid came, we were hopeful. Ukraine war, gas and electricity, we were hopeful. Now the spuds are going to explode again, we are hopeful.

“You just have to have hope.”