A man has appeared in court charged with attempted murder after another man was left seriously injured in an incident in Salford.
31.03.2023 - 05:59 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
When chef and restaurant owner Michael Clay was told he would have to pay £32,000 to exit an energy contract he signed up for last December, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Michael owns the small pizzeria Dokes in Prestwich.
It was founded on using local ingredients instead of imported stuff that’s flown miles around world to get here, when we have some of the best produce right here on our doorstep. But like all hospitality businesses in the city, he’s being hammered on all sides by huge increases in all of his costs.
Most pressing of all is energy. When he opened the restaurant last year, he was paying 17p per unit for his electricity. His contract with Colchester-based Pozitive Energy came up for renewal in December last year, at the peak of the energy crisis, at which point he faced a choice; closing down or agreeing to a staggering increase - 70p per unit, in a contract to last 12 months.
Read more: Manchester restaurants snubbed at 2023 Michelin stars
He and his business partner, Wesley Downham, who also own the Elnecot bistro in Ancoats, did what they had to do to keep the business running, so they agreed. The government’s energy cap scheme capped that 70p cost per unit at 47p per unit, until April 1. But that’s about to run out.
Pozitive Energy now offers a tariff at 29p. He asked them to be reasonable, and let him cancel his 70p contract, and join its new 29p tariff instead, and said he was happy to pay a penalty charge to do so if necessary.
He was initially quoted £319.49p as the ‘early termination penalty’. The following day, the company got back in touch, having recalculated the penalty fee. It was now £32,000.
“A lot of people’s contracts ran out at the end of last year when prices were
A man has appeared in court charged with attempted murder after another man was left seriously injured in an incident in Salford.
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