Café reopens after ‘invaluable’ utilities support

A Sunderland café has reopened its doors after resolving a utilities dispute with the help of a business support initiative.

Seaglass Café, on High Street West, was forced to close for more than a month due to an issue with its energy supplier.

But after receiving assistance from Procure Smart, Sunderland BID’s utilities partner, the café has successfully navigated the challenges and has reopened.

James Usher, operations manager at Seaglass Café – which only opened earlier this year – said the assistance they had received had proved ‘invaluable’.

He said: “We are so grateful to the BID for introducing us.

“We were being bounced around from one person to the next, and could also never get any response to any of the questions we raised about the bills.

“We were shut for 35 days, which is devastating for a small business, but Procure Smart worked to get us reconnected so we could reopen, and are still working with us to get the ongoing situation resolved.”

Procure Smart, which collaborates with Sunderland BID to provide businesses with competitive deals on utilities and other services, stepped in to resolve the issues and is still working to reach a satisfactory outcome.

Craig Shields, managing director of Procure Smart, said: “Because we work in the industry day in and day out, we have the contacts to go directly to the right people and to be able to sort out situations like this.

“We followed the paper trail for James and have helped him take the case to the Energy Ombudsman.

“We are still in almost daily contact and will continue to work on his behalf. It’s just part of the service we offer and we’re delighted to work so closely with Sunderland BID.

The café’s reopening highlights the practical benefits of Sunderland BID’s partnerships, which aim to support local businesses and enhance the city’s commercial resilience.

Sharon Appleby, chief executive of Sunderland BID, added: “As part of our commitment to supporting businesses in the city we work with Procure Smart so they can help them save money and get the best deals available.

“It’s also invaluable to have an expert in your corner on the occasion that an issue does arise and that is also all part of the service that Procure Smart offers.”

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