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21
Sept 2022
Harrogate businesses breathe 'sigh of relief' after energy bill cut
Businesses in the Harrogate district will breathe “a temporary sigh of relief” after the government announced a cap on energy bills, a local business group has said.
David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said the intervention by ministers to tackle the sky high cost of gas and electricity was welcome.
The scheme will see the government fix wholesale gas and electricity prices for businesses for six months from October 1.
It means bills are expected to be cut for firms by half their predicted level this winter.
Mr Simister said he hoped the move would prevent businesses from closing down.
He said:
Rising energy bills has already forced some businesses in the district to close.
They included Ainsty Farm Shop, which closed last weekend after its owners were told their annual energy bill was set to jump from £20,000 to £90,000 a year.
Read more:
Harrogate council could dip into reserves to cover soaring energy costs
Help for Ripon residents confused about energy rebates
Meanwhile, ministers announced that the cut in energy bills would also apply to hospitals, charities and schools.
A spokesperson for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said:
Kwasi Kwarteng, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:
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