A local grocer on Edinburgh’s Ferry Road has opened up about the despair and poverty hitting their neighbourhood as the cost of living crisis begins to bite.
Em and Luna, co-founders of The Gull’s Grocery, have said there is genuine fear in the community about what will happen this winter, with food stability and heating costs being chief among concerns.
Em and Luna said: “People are genuinely scared for themselves, their loved ones, the elderly and the infirm. Much like when Covid started, there is a real feeling among the community that not all of us will be here when all is said and done.”
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“There are people worried and scared all around us. We've had a few messages making sure we as a shop would be able to stay open through this. We've only been open since February but we've both lived and worked in the area for a long time. This is the most worried we've seen people since the first lockdown.”
The wholesale cost of fresh bread alone has gone up by 20 per cent, according to Em. The cost of fresh produce and other staples have also been in flux.
“Many people have mentioned the large jumps in price they are seeing elsewhere so we've spent hours discussing increases: which ones we have to do to stay open and which we can avoid,” they said.
“Our fruit and veg prices are fluctuating a lot more than they did previously which makes the staples we can provide for people more unreliable.”
Em and Luna said the Ferry Road neighbourhood is a tale of two cities: "On one side, there is an affluent community of young professionals and students and on the other, there are homeless locals and vulnerable people in temporary housing.
“Our sincere hope is that we can help anyone who is struggling through winter,” they said.
“We are trying to foster a community spirit in the hopes that people will continue to help each other and not turn their backs on those in need in our community.”
Em and Luna have noticed more people purchasing bulk products in smaller quantities or putting things back at the checkout since the cost of living crisis began in earnest.
“Our fears are having to increase prices again. It takes us further away from what we need as a community which is affordable fresh food and sustainable local businesses,” they said.
Em and Luna made the decision to open the shop seven days a week to combat the price hike, but now they are worried about the cost of keeping the heating on. They said the Energy Relief Scheme is only set to last until March, and there has been very little communication from energy suppliers.
“Anxiety is through the roof. Electricity and gas bills come up in day to day chats a lot. The uncertainty of how much extra will be spent, or how everyone will get through winter without the heating on,” they said.
“On a human level, we are scared for the vulnerable people in our neighbourhood and are working hard to come up with ways we can support them or put them in touch with dedicated projects like Streetwork.”
Although times are tough, Em and Luna say the community spirit and generosity has been outstanding.
“People are coming together collectively to help the most vulnerable,” they said.
Gull’s Grocery recently installed a pay-it-forward board where people can add a few quid extra to their bill and the money is passed on to whoever needs help with their shopping. The Gull’s Grocery also has a rescue box where surplus is given away for free.
Most recently, the shop was selected as a build project with the Edinburgh Tool Library. Together, Gull’s and the Tool Library will build a pay what you can fruit and veg stand for the community.
In addition to calling for change from the Scottish and UK governments, Em and Luna have also called for the City Council of Edinburgh to address the housing crisis and find housing spaces for every person on the street before the winter hits.
Learn more about The Gull’s Grocery here.
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