Why Sheffield's bars and restaurants need us more than ever during 'absolute horror of energy crisis'

After the topsy-turvy nature of the pandemic with constant openings and closures, plus rule changes, bar and restaurant owners are now being faced with extortionate energy bills as the cost of living crisis takes its toll.

The tumult of the last three years or so was perhaps best summed up this last week in a Facebook post sent out from The Bridge Inn at Thurgoland.

The popular eaterie revealed it is launching a new menu with a price hike from October 1 which the operators said was ‘inevitable’.

The post read: “Since moving into The Bridge nearly three years ago it feels like we’ve been cursed, open, Covid, closed, open, closed, open, Omicron, fuel price rise and now the absolute horror of the energy crisis!"

They added: “Please continue to support our lovely country pub, we can’t survive without you.”

Pubs and restaurants are faced with a dilemma in that they are having to put prices up to meet energy costs – but this obviously makes it even harder to entice in customers who are also being hit hard in the pocket.

Thankfully, many places are trying to offset general price rises by offering special deals for loyal customers.

The Bridge is offering a £4.95 menu so people can still enjoy ‘homemade food that won’t break the bank.’

There are also plenty of other places offering dining options for under a tenner.

Times are hard financially, no doubt.

But if we don’t support our hospitality industry by nipping out for a bite to eat or a couple of drinks here and there, many of them may not be there when we hopefully come out of the other side of this terrible cost of living crisis.

They do need our help now more than ever.