A pub landlord is calling for government support for businesses faced with escalating costs before it’s too late.

Caroline Roylance, who runs The George on Bridge Street in Fordingbridge, says it is “incredibly important” the government look at support or an action plan going forward to help businesses.

She said: “If you don’t support businesses people are going to lose their jobs and then they are not going to be able to afford to pay their bills. It is just going to be a vicious cycle. It is imperative that something is done as soon as possible.”

The pub renewed its energy contract in July, which saw costs increase 120 per cent, which Caroline says was “ridiculous at the time” but that it was “lucky” compared to similar size hospitality businesses now being hit with even bigger hikes.

Despite having a good summer trade, which was on par with pre-Covid levels, she admits that the "worry now" is that due to the cost of living crisis people aren't going to be able to afford to go out.

In addition to the increase in utility costs the pub has also been hit by rising prices for food and even cooking oil.

“You name it, it’s gone up – cooking oil, fish, flour, bread, meat,” explains Caroline. “We’ve stopped being able to pass any of our costs on to customers because there is only so much you can charge for fish and chips or a pint so that’s really difficult.

"Obviously with our utilities we can’t pass that on so we have to absorb that cost which will be difficult if we are in November and we have no customers because people can’t afford to go out, which I totally understand.”

In the last year, the pub says oil used to fry the fish and chips has gone up from £50 to fill a vat to £300 . The pub has four and the oil is changed every week.

The situation has been “relentless” and "everybody is struggling" with Caroline adding: “It is another difficult situation. Covid was bad but at least there was support."

This grant support was used to pay staff and its suppliers. And at the moment, The George still has rate relief which is a help.

But Caroline added: “We need some kind of VAT relief or grant towards utilities. I understand that you can’t keep throwing money at businesses but if you got us through Covid what was the point to let us go bust because utilities have gone up. There’s no price cap for business utilities.

“It seems like there’s nobody that wants to help and there is no hope that somebody will help. Even if they do it’s going to be too late for a lot of businesses.”

Going forward Caroline says The George has to look at “making savings where it can” and that at this time of year it would look to take on apprentices or part time staff which it will not be able to do to ensure it is able to take care of its current staff.

“You just have to take it a day at a time and hope that some kind of help or plan will be forthcoming from the government.”