THE worried owner of a city fish and chip shop says steep rises in energy bills are 'ridiculous' and large cod may disappear from his menu.

Costa Constantinou, owner of the Lyppard Fryer in Ankerage Green, Warndon Villages, has described the intense financial pressure fish and chip shops are now under.

READ MORE: Fish and chip shop bosses warn of disaster ahead

READ MORE: Lowesmoor Fish Bar closed and boarded up

Pressures have come not only from rising energy prices but the rising price of fish, oil, dry goods and potatoes, forcing the business to put up prices at the counter.

Predrag Djuric, known as 'Pedja', who runs one of Worcester's longest-running fish and chip shops, The Crispy Cod in Pinkett Street, Northwick, says the industry is heading for 'disaster' unless action is taken.

Mr Constantinou was paying around £3,000 per year for his gas on his last fixed rate contract, which ended on September 1.

However, this will rise to between £12,000 and £14,000 per year - triple what he was paying before under a new two-year deal. The price rise is so steep he is exploring the possibility of installing solar panels. 

Mr Constantinou, who says he understands everyone is struggling, said his electricity bills will also rise from around £9,500 per year to between £22,000 and £25,000.

The 37-year-old said he was told by his energy broker that he was fortunate he was not paying £40,000 per year as other businesses were.

"It's still completely ridiculous but I'm supposed to count myself lucky. It feels like we have no control over anything - fish, oil, dry goods. You can't negotiate anything. They blame Russia, the war in Ukraine but I don't believe people are talking about Brexit enough," he said.

He added: "I'm completely aware local people are struggling. Every type of business is struggling - newsagents, hairdressers, self-employed people.

"I've tried not to go on about how terrible it is as we are aware everyone is in the same boat."

He now estimates he will be paying between £400 and £500 per week on gas and electric alone 'before we even sell a bag of chips.'

It cost the business £143 for 60lbs of cod in August last year with month-on-month rises seeing the cost soar to more than double that -  £322 by June of this year.

"Look how fast it's escalated. I think we can survive but we will have to change and adapt. It is worrying times - they're unprecedented - there's no doubt about that," he said.

In October last year, a large cod was £5.89 for the customer but now it is £7.35 and will rise to £7.65 from tomorrow (Tuesday, September 6).

"We may have to take large cod off the menu as the profit margin is too low," he said.

The price of potatoes has risen from £7.50 for a 25kg bag to £8.50 this year. Cooking oil has gone up from £16 a block to £33 by the spring of this year with prices now hovering at £30.

By his calculations, this will work out at the business forking out an extra £225 per week for cooking oil alone and between £10,000 and £12,000 per year.

We have already reported how Lowesmoor Fish Bar is now shut up and boarded up, once part of the fabric of the city when it was run by local character “Honky” (George) Fletcher, who had the shop for more than 50 years until he retired in 1985.