Ainsty Farm Shop to close due to soaring energy bills, owners announce

The Ainsty Farm Shop near York is to shut on September 30 when its current electricity contract comes to an end.

A statement posted on the company’s Facebook page said: “We are very sorry to have to let everyone know that 22 years after opening our first farm shop and 17 years in our current premises, we are having to close Ainsty Farm Shop.

“We would like to thank everyone for all of their support over the years, it has been very much appreciated and great fun! We have loved serving you, listening to some fabulous stories and generally getting to know our customers.

“This has simply come about because of the huge rise in electricity prices. As you probably all understand, running a butchery, bakery & deli uses a lot of electricity and we can now no longer carry on.

“We will be open until September 30, when our current electricity contract ends. We hope to see you all and say goodbye over the next couple of months.

“However, on a more positive note, we fully intend to continue with Ainsty Farms Direct, which is how we began back in 1999 at Tockwith Show and still sell our own meat. We will still have our mailing list and will keep you up to date with progress.

“Thank you once again for all of your support over the years.”

It comes as it was announced that the energy price cap will increase to over £3,500 from October, with analysts projecting prices could go above £6,000 by April next year.

Ofgem has confirmed an 80.06% rise in the energy price cap, sending the average household’s yearly bill from £1,971 to £3,549 from October.

The cap will come into effect for around 24 million households in England, Scotland and Wales on default energy tariffs on October 1, and will remain in place until December 31, when it will be adjusted again.

Ofgem’s chief executive Jonathan Brearley warned of the hardship energy prices will cause this winter and urged the incoming Prime Minister and new Cabinet “to provide an additional and urgent response to continued surging energy prices”.