A much-loved Sandbach family business has announced it's closing at the end of the week - due to soaring energy costs.

Gibsons' Greengrocer's & Deli in High Street say their energy bill has rocketed from £400 a month to £1,000 and they can no longer afford to continue.

The popular café and greengrocers, opposite St Mary's Church, moved from its former base in the Mill to its High Street premises just over two years ago.

Gibsons', which will close at the end of business on Saturday (January 14th), is making seven staff redundant.

The business is run by Emma Gibson and husband Chris (pictured above). 

"Unfortunately, the costs into our business have increased significantly over the last year and despite making adjustments to offset the increases, the surge in energy costs, drop in home deliveries and reduced footfall have left us with no option," said Emma.

"Ordinarily, we would adapt our ways of working but we have had to increase our prices making us uncompetitive and with further increases in wages and taxes on the horizon, plus uncertainty around the future of our lease, the business is just no longer viable.

"This has been an incredibly difficult decision, which had to be made with my head not my heart!

"We want to go out on a high following an amazing Christmas and bow out whilst we are still able to honour our commitments to both our staff & suppliers and whilst we can hold our heads high."

Emma says she is "devastated" to be losing 'team Gibson' and has urged anyone with part-time or full-time roles available to help out her staff to get in touch.

Gibsons' offered a delivery service and a collection service during Covid.

Gibsons' is the second café business in Sandbach to fall foul to the cost-of-living crisis.

In August, Minshull's Country Kitchen in Welles Street closed after eight years of trading due to a hike in energy prices. 

Sandbach Nub News told here how https://sandbach.nub.news/news/local-news/sandbach-cafe-owner-says-rising-energy-prices-have-forced-him-to-call-it-a-day-146294 how rising costs had caused owner, Paul Minshull, to call it a day.