It’s business as usual at the Manning Street store, owner Peter Bolte assured yesterday.

“The decision by Retravision Southern has nothing at all to do with Retravision north of Sydney,” he said.

Retravision Southern, the buying and marketing company for more than 100 independently owned stores, announced last week it had appointed administrators KordaMentha.

A spokesman stressed the action involved only Retravision Southern, not individual stores, nor Retravision Western or Retravision Northern.

Retravision Southern is based in Blackburn, Victoria, and has operated as an unlisted public company with about 35 employees.

Mr Bolte has owned and operated Taree’s Retravision store for three years, and employs a staff of five.

He agreed times are ‘tough’, with retail in general having endured “a very slow 18 months”.

“Taree, with its big demographic of self-funded retirees and Centrelink clients is more adversely affected by the global financial crisis and particularly electricity cost rises,” he said.

“In my 20 years in business I have never seen it as bad for people having to take into account how much electricity a certain appliance will use.”

He said a projected hike of another 19 per cent in electricity charges from July, on top of the carbon tax, means people just don’t know how much it will cost them to live.

“We already have people who won’t switch their ovens on,” he said. “It’s a travesty.”

He said he and his staff go to great lengths to help customers find the most efficient appliances for their particular situation, and to point out the cash rebates that are available for certain goods.

“To some extent, these price rises are forcing people on aged pensions into Third World conditions,” he said.