A cafe owner in Cromer has said that rising energy prices might force him to hang up his apron this winter.

Alex Sala, 57, who runs Peggotty's Cafe in Hamilton Road, said he expects energy bills to go up from £220 a month to £450 a month.

"My contract runs out on December 1 and I'm thinking of giving up," he said.

Eastern Daily Press: Peggotty's Cafe on Hamilton Road in Cromer has been run by the Sala family since 2013.Peggotty's Cafe on Hamilton Road in Cromer has been run by the Sala family since 2013. (Image: Archant)

"It's not worth it anymore. Food prices are on the rise and people are not spending money. Every time I get a delivery from the company, the prices are up, so our profits go down."

Some months the profit is only £400, he said.

Mr Sala has worked at the cafe since 2005 and his family has run the business since 2013.

"I love my customers," he said. "I've been seeing some of them for 17 years in a row now.

"But honestly, you can't survive on smiles from the customers."

Mr Sala was speaking after regulator Ofgem announced the cap on pricing for households will increase by 80pc by October 1.

Eastern Daily Press: Gillian Day, 56, outside The Baguette Shop on Church Street in Cromer.Gillian Day, 56, outside The Baguette Shop on Church Street in Cromer. (Image: Archant)

Gillian Day, 56, who runs The Baguette Shop on Church Street, said she plans to close the cafe for most of the winter.

"It's cheaper to close during winter," she said.

"When I bought the shop it used to be open for six days a week.

"After this weekend I'll start going down to three or four days a week. Then after Christmas I'll shut for all of January.

"Because I can't stand here all day with the electricity on but with no customers."

Ms Day said she has been selling more tea than coffee recently, as coffee prices have gone up.

"You see people budgeting," she said. "You can definitely tell people are watching the pennies."

Ms Day has noticed some customers are now sharing a long baguette between two rather than eating one each.

She said she hopes the government will cut VAT. "That would help with my bills."

Alex Pendleton, who runs Beast to Block, a butchers on Church Street, said: "It's all a bit doom and gloom but you've got to try and look on the bright side."

His shop has a large walk-in chiller and two serving counters, so energy bills are "very expensive".

"But there's not a lot I can do. I just have to make ends meet. You've got to find the money.

"It's not going to be easy this winter. You've got to try and be positive.

"If there was a little bit of support from the government, that would help," he added.