A well-known Chinese takeaway in Aberdeen that was forced shut due to soaring energy bills will reopen next week – but with revised menu prices.
The Royal Crown in Torry will welcome customers once again on Wednesday after owner Martin Tang decided to “give it one more try”.
Mr Tang made the “heartbreaking” decision to close his Crombie Street shop in August following a drastic rise in his gas and electricity bills – jumping from £1,000 to £10,000 per quarter.
The new energy price cap announced by Ofgem came into force on October 1, with the average household bills increasing from £1,971 to £2,500.
While Mr Tang admits he still feels “very much in the unknown”, he said the recently announced government support package for businesses gave him some reassurance.
In order to try and stay afloat, however, he has been forced to increase the price on most of his dishes by around £2, while also looking at ways to cut energy costs.
He said: “We’ve had a lot of friends and customers telling us how they miss the shop and want to see us back open and that was the thing that pushed me to try again.
“Looking at the budget I’m still not 100% satisfied, but I would hate to not try at all, so I plan to open for at least six months and see how it goes.
“I’m just trying to find a solution – I’ve updated the menu with revised prices, I’ve looked at where I can save my energy when I go back in.
“But I’m still very much in the unknown.
“A lot of the items will now be around £8 and, even though I have a lot of loyal customers, I don’t know how many people would be able to afford it.
“I’ve never pushed my prices to that level before and have no idea what to expect.”
Push for better ‘rescue package’ for small businesses
According to his energy broker, early indications are that his combined gas and electricity bills will be slashed to around £3,500 per quarter in the next few months.
These “positive” predictions – alongside the “support campaign” from locals eager to see their favourite takeaway back in operation – persuaded Mr Tang to give it one more try.
However, he stressed that the rise in energy bills is not the only mounting pressure on his business, with inflation also having a huge impact on his expenses.
Mr Tang urged the government for a better rescue package in order to save “normal working people” and added: “It would be nice to go back to the shop, I just wished the situation was a lot better.
“For me, this is not just a place of work – it’s the place where I’m happy, back in the kitchen where I’ve spent most of my life.
“I’m hoping to see some familiar faces, but also new ones to help me move forward.”
Conversation