THE IMPACT of the energy crisis is hitting businesses across Teignbridge hard.

While domestic customers are receiving some limited help from Government, business owners are still waiting to hear if they will be offered any benefits.

In the meantime, businesses are facing energy bills of up to three or four times their usual costs.

Sally Henley, Newton Abbot town development manager, explained: ‘I have been speaking with the business community since rocketing domestic energy bills first hit the headlines and it was clear that the crisis is not only for householders.

‘It is possibly even more acute for business where there is no price cap.

‘I raised this with our local MP, Anne Marie Morris at the beginning of August and knew that she understood and agreed that something must be done.

‘However, I was baffled to hear that government would not be addressing the issue until a new Prime Minister was elected.

‘With some owners reporting the impact of this crisis upon their business being more serious than the pandemic, this really was not the answer anyone would have expected.

‘Now that the new Prime Minister has been announced, I hope that Liz Truss addresses this with the utmost urgency, at the same time that she addresses domestic energy bills.

‘Businesses which have come to the end of their contracts are facing unbelievable increases right now and in some cases, their energy bills will be more than their turnover.

‘It doesn’t take a genius to understand what this could mean for the economy and so I hope a serious package of support is announced immediately.’