A HAT shop in York is set to cut its opening hours to save money on essentials due to rising costs in the retail sector.

Owner of Simply Devine, Liz Devine Wright, said she is being forced to cut down her hours during the winter months.

While gas and electricity prices have shot up by 54 per cent, shipping cost of raw materials for her special occasion headwear, which often come from outside the EU, have risen "astronomically".

Liz, who owns the shop in Tadcaster Road, said: "Although we have been very busy this year with weddings which have been postponed from 2020 and 2021, we are also finding that our customers – typically mothers or the bride or groom - are increasingly asking to hire our beautiful hats instead of buying them, due to the uncertainty of the economy and worry about rising costs.

“Obviously they don’t want to compromise on quality because they have waited so long for their special occasion. By reducing our opening times, we are able to keep the cost of our hats and fascinators at the same prices, instead of passing on increased costs to customers.”

The shop will now be open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday mornings only during the winter, though special private appointments will still be available for customers who are unable to make those times.

Liz added: "We have been in business almost 18 years and costs have never been so high. As a specialist shop, we have fortunately survived during Covid while many high street stores have foundered, because we are debt-free and own our building and stock outright.

“But, if we are to survive another 18 years, we need to make small changes to continue our existence. The time is right to be able to do this, since the main summer wedding and race season is easing off, but as the weather takes a turn for the worse, our energy costs are due to rise again during the autumn and winter months."

Ofgem has confirmed an 80.06 per cent rise in the energy price cap, sending the average household’s yearly bill from £1,971 to £3,549 from October.

The cap will come into effect for around 24 million households in England, Scotland and Wales on default energy tariffs on October 1 - and will remain in place until December 31, when it will be adjusted again.