Net zero drive could ‘kill off’ fish and chips: Ed Miliband’s net zero drive risks killing off the fish and chip shop, the industry’s trade association has warned. The National Federation of Fish Fryers (NFFF) said the energy secretary’s green ambitions could “further undermine” the industry and force restaurants and takeaways to shut up shop. The average cost for a portion of cod and chips is now almost £10, having risen by 50% over the past five years amid inflation and the soaring costs of potatoes and fish. Andrew Crook, the president of the NFFF, told The Telegraph that the full electrification of his industry would not be “feasible or affordable”. Crook, who runs the Skippers of Euxton chip shop in Chorley, met with a business minister on Tuesday to raise his concerns. He said: “Nearly every fish and chip shop runs on gas as the most effective way to fry. Full electrification is not feasible or affordable. After years of continued tax pressures and the rising price of fish, the government must take care to not further undermine businesses like ours, which are at the heart of communities.” Crook said he was reliant on gas, arguing that green infrastructure would simply not be able to supply commercial kitchens with the amount of power that they need. He added: “They don’t understand the fish and chip industry, a lot of it is nuances that are industry specific. I’m a member of the Labour Party, but I am disappointed with the start that they’ve made. I’m hoping they pull it round. All the conversations are about big business, tech startup funding. They’ve got to realise there’s a lot of small businesses out there that are often the first-place people start working. It’s about time the government recognises that and supports us, because if they don’t, we’re going to see a lot of small businesses – after five tough years – decide they’ve had enough.” The NFFF previously warned that as many as a third of the UK’s 10,500 fish and chip shops could close down due to a combination of cost pressures as part of a feared “extinction event”. A spokesman for Poppies Fish and Chips, which has branches in Camden, Notting Hill, Soho and Spitalfields, said: “We care about the planet and want to do our part in supporting a greener future. Poppies’ latest restaurant on Portobello Road is all electric. But retrofitting this sort of equipment into other restaurants running on gas is extremely cost prohibitive, especially when we are already facing rising costs across the board.”

Devon hotel group sees increase in spend per head and golf rounds played but profit almost halves: Devon hotel group Manor House saw spend per head increase 10% and a 24% rise in the number of rounds of golf played in the year to 31 March 2024 but its profit almost halved. The company, which operates the Manor House Hotel and The Ashbury Hotel golf resort in Okehampton, reported turnover increased very slightly to £16,236,273 compared with £16,211,067 the previous year. Ebitda was down to £1.63m from £2.01m the year before while pre-tax profit fell to £671,461 from £1,130,344 the previous year. The company strengthened its leisure offer at The Ashbury Hotel by adding a new multi-sport facility that will offer a further five dedicated pickleball courts. In December 2023, the group secured a £500,000 loan from Barclays to fund capital works. In his report accompanying the accounts, Manor House director Simon Essex stated: “The company was pleased to see overall occupancy had grown in comparison with the 2022-23 year and spend per head was up 10%. The company was able to increase its craft sessions by 4% to accommodate 57,000 guests into its multiple classes. However, the most notable increase was in the number of golf rounds played, recording a substantial rise of 24% to more than 81,000 rounds of golf, proving that golf has well and truly returned to our Ashbury courses.” The company, which employs around 270 staff, received £163,474 in respect of business rates rebates (2023: £289,748).