Newbury Restaurateur Expresses Frustration Over Rising Water Bills

A small business proprietor has voiced her indignation regarding the necessity of “footing the bill” for what she perceives as mismanaged water companies. Suzy Sales, who operates a restaurant in Newbury, responded to Ofwat’s announcement that water bills are projected to increase by an average of 36% over the next five years. She commented, “It’s really going to affect us quite a lot.” Thames Water, whose 16 million customers are set to experience an average annual bill increase from £436 to £588 by 2030, declined to provide a statement on these changes. The water firm has now been authorized to raise bills by 35%. Mrs Sales informed BBC Radio Berkshire, “For a small business our margins are quite small anyway.” She explained that this situation presents a dual challenge for small businesses like hers, as they face higher utility costs while their customers, also paying more for water, have less discretionary income to spend at the restaurant. “There is a little bit of anger I think about the fact that it comes down to the consumer, be that a business, be that a private family to foot the bill of what has been many, many years of mismanagement,” she stated. Mrs Sales mentioned that her own household bills had doubled, and she felt she was not receiving adequate value for money, expressing concern about an “out of date water and sewage system.” Eight months ago, she and her husband Antonio established the restaurant, named Pizza on the Square, describing it as a “leap of faith” for her family. Mrs Sales noted that it had been well received, despite involving a mix of successes, challenges, and “incredibly hard work.” She suggested that the escalating bills could deter others from venturing into new businesses. “It makes it difficult to make these decisions and take these risks and do something new and exciting,” she said. David Black, the CEO of Ofwat, the body that approved these changes, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the plans were “carefully scrutinised.” He asserted, “We’ve backed a £104bn investment plan that will deliver a significant reduction in sewage spills, further reductions in leakage and drive up service for customers.” He characterized the investment as “game changing.” Mr Black added, “It’s a fourfold increase in investment for a bill increase of around £31 per year, every year over the next five years.” For updates, BBC Berkshire can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.