The government’s Eat Out to Help Out initiative, or should we say Rishi Sunak’s, ends next week and has been an overwhelming success for hospitality. The timing of the conclusion of the initiative unfortunately coincides with the phasing out of the furlough scheme and rent payments for commercial properties.
The timing points towards an economic perfect storm for hospitality already badly battered and bruised from Covid-19.
Many restaurants have already extended the Eat Out to Help Out initiative, examples like Cyrus Todiwala’s Café Spice Namaste are operating the initiative across their full operational week.
Ben Tish’s Norma are now introducing a new midweek initiative to keep the Eat Out to Help Out momentum going. The Sicilian-inspired restaurant will be serving up handmade pasta on the specials board for just £10 Mon-Thurs throughout September.
Government figures show that more than 35 million discounted meals have been claimed across the UK in the first two weeks of the initiative. With over 85,000 hospitality providers taking advantage including restaurant and pub chains and independents alike.
The hospitality industry like consumer confidence is still fragile, so we hope that the chancellor will extend his Eat Out to Help Out initiative.
Extending Eat Out to Help Out would significantly benefit consumers, travel businesses, high streets hospitality and many more sectors of the UK economy.
A win win for all we would suggest, and the chancellor.
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