A popular village store says it has been forced to change its opening hours to survive after its electricity bill increased by 300 per cent.

Posting the changes on its Facebook page, Flushing Village Store said if it didn’t make the changes now the village would lose its shop.

“As some of you may be aware, we are changing our trading hours,” owners Sandy, Pete and James said in the Facebook post.

“This has been brought about by the large increase in utility costs.

“Unfortunately our electricity has increased by 300%, by reducing our trading hours we are hoping that this will reduce the electric bill allowing us to continue trading. To be honest, if we don’t change, the end result is the village loses the shop."

In the post the owners also thanked all their customers for their continued support, “We need you more than ever in these trying times”, they said.

The new opening hours from February 1 are: Monday: 9am to 5pm; Tuesday: 9am to 5pm; Wednesday: 9am to 1pm; Thursday: 9am to 5pm; Friday: 9am to 5pm; Saturday: 9am to 5pm; Sunday: 9am to 1pm.

Flushing stores is just one of hundreds of businesses across the county, and thousands across the country, which are struggling to survive in the current cost of living crisis.

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Last November, the Pandora Inn at Restronguet posted its utilities bill showing its monthly bill had gone up from £2,260 in September to £8,894 for October, an increase of 512%.

However that was limited to an increase of 93% by the government’s Energy Bills Discount Scheme which is due to expire in March.

“The Pandora Inn will weather this storm,” they said in the Facebook post “but this perhaps illustrates why many businesses are just closing their doors as costs spiral out of control.”