How the UK’s dutiful launderette is fading under Covid and energy prices

A much-loved community space and an essential service, their days now seem numbered

The first thing Rajiv Shrikul does when he opens up his launderette in south Edinburgh each morning is pray. He says the 7am routine, which he started as a young boy in India, helps him cope with the kaleidoscope of personalities that pass through his shop. Some people are angry, some are generous - you need to have a very stable mind. Meditation calms you down, especially in these hard times."

Photograph: Murdo MacLeod