Residents in Leeds’ wealthiest village have said they’ll have to layer up come winter amid fears about the rising cost of energy bills.
Average gas and electricity bills have been predicted to reach an average of £4,200 per household by 2023, according to industry body Energy UK. There are fears a cold winter could hit residents hard.
Linton is the most desirable village in Leeds, with house prices on one street averaging at £1,791,000. The green and leafy village is located in North Leeds, near to Wetherby. Colossal country mansions loom over the winding hilly country lanes, their splendour guarded behind electric gates with state-of-the-art telecoms systems.
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There are private roads, only open to the the exclusive few who live there and their esteemed guests. In the heart of the village there's an ancient pub which dates back more than 460 years with rustic wooden beams and stone floors.
Linton is dripping with the class and sophistication of old English character. This should come as no surprise, as it's situated within Yorkshire's famous 'golden triangle', a term used by estate agents to describe the area between North Leeds, Harrogate and York.
Those wandering through may feel they've stepped into a bubble where there isn't a care in the world and the cost of living crisis is just a harmless piece of fiction - one of those surreal late night foreign dramas on BBC Four or perhaps a rude interruption to episodes of The Archers.
Despite this, regulars at the The Windmill Inn have said they’ll be layering up and keeping their boilers switched off when possible and fear it will cause family disagreements. Pals Chris and Nigel who live nearby, spoke about how the rising bills would affect their lives.
Nigel, a retired consulting engineer, said: “At the moment, my boiler is switched off and I put it briefly on in the morning for ten minutes and have a shower, and that’s it.”
Chris, a retired oil businessman, said: “We’ll wear jumpers and keep warm that way. Luckily we’ve got a log burner and we’ll have to see how that works out.”
They’ve added they’re “concerned and not just for us, for our family and people that you know,” although within the city, they believe people in South Leeds will be affected the worst. They’ve said a “price cap should be a price cap,” baffled by how the cap seems to ever be increasing during the cost of living crisis.
The pair looked at the brighter side of things, Chris even joked the struggle with energy could lead to domestic disagreements about when the heating should be switched on. He laughed: "The wives will suffer! Don’t print that! Say Nigel said that!”
Chris and Nigel are not overly concerned about those in Linton living in the colossal mansions. Chris said: “It’s like having a big car, you don’t buy a big car if you can’t afford to run it.”
'Appalling'
Dennis Marshall, 75, an avid cyclist and retired detective inspector, says he will most certainly be layering up come winter. He said he was disgusted with the energy companies.
Dennis said: “I think it’s appalling. There’s so many people in country who won’t be able to afford to pay it, so they’ll be either be in debt, freezing or starving.
“I certainly am going to layer up. I will turn the central heating off and I will put on more layers of clothes, thermals and such like. I know some people who will be choosing between eating and heating.”
Dennis is from Collingham, the neighbouring village, and has advised the people in Linton mansions to “turn their radiators down in rooms they’re not using as much” if they’re worried.
Read more stories about the cost of living crisis in Leeds, here:
- Leeds' oldest pub bracing for 'horrendous' heating bills as they can't update building
- Struggling Leeds mum-of-eight sees Universal Credit 'cut' as she is forced to feed family 'beans on toast for tea
- Worried Leeds parents struggling on benefits can't sleep at night as they fear bailiffs will take their stuff
- Struggling Leeds car boot sellers say 'times are tough' as customers demand 50p bargains
