Three Holes Village Hall and the energy crisis

We spoke to a village hall in rural Norfolk to see how the energy price rise has impacted their ability to offer services to their community.  We asked how their energy usage and bills have been impacted by the energy price rise, and their main concern has been with the increase in their energy bills. 

In the summer of 2020, their energy prices were an estimated .15p per unit. This has since increased to .30p per unit – this is a 50% rise for the village hall and does not include any price increases such as VAT, Climate Change Levy and Standing Charges. 

When asked how this had affected any organisations who regularly hire out their hall, the village hall reported that they have already had to increase their prices for other organisations that hire their premises for community activities and vital support.  This hire price currently has already risen by 20% for their regular hirers of the hall, and some organisations have been unable to meet this new price. One organisation, which supplies hot meals to those that need them in the community, has sadly already been unable to afford an increased rate to hire the hall. 

The village hall is becoming increasingly worried about the continued impact that the energy crisis will have on their premises and hirers in the future.  

“Like all of you, the charity has been through the tough times of the Covid lockdowns and, just as some normality seemed to be returning, the costs of energy have risen so much that we are all struggling to find a way to keep up with them”