[ad_1]
The British government’s initiative to encourage people to return to restaurants, paying half the cost of meals up to 10 pounds (11 euros), is helping many Portuguese restaurants in London affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Those responsible for “O Moinho”, “Lusitania” and “A Toca”, three neighboring establishments on Wandsworth Road, in the south of the British capital, told the Lusa agency that they saw bookings soar between Monday and Wednesday, when the discount is applicable. “We are always full. We can’t even reserve more tables because people are coming. It was a very well done scheme “, said the owner of” O Moinho “, Pedro Fernandes.
The promotion, entitled “Eating out to help” [Coma Fora Para Ajudar], in force only during August, according to figures from the British Ministry of Finance, it was used 64 million times in the first three weeks in the United Kingdom, causing demand to increase 61% more than in the same period last year. 50% discount applies to all foods and non-alcoholic beverages at participating establishments up to a maximum discount of £ 10 per person.
“People avoid alcohol a bit because there is no discount. But they eat well, sometimes ordering more than one dish per person, even tasting dishes that are a bit more expensive and often not accessible. They take advantage now and they do it very well, the Government is doing it and then we will pay for everything again, but the truth is that it was a great idea and people are taking advantage of it, “said Fernandes.
Also Fernando Marques, owner of the restaurant “A Toca”, admits that the initiative came to help, since the billing had dropped by 50% since the reopening in early July. “Now it seems they have lost their fear of the virus. We have a full house and I can no longer accept reservations, ”said Marques, pleased to have secured the jobs of 18 employees.
Artur Andrade, manager of the restaurant “Lusitania”, was forced to lay off 30% of staff and reducing the capacity of the space to half of the 160 seats, which it filled on weekends when there were live musical events. “’Eat Out’ came to help the other days. Many local English people have come to experience it. The promotion was an engine, it greatly affected the restaurant and the suppliers ”, he stressed.
Flávia Duarte confessed that she has been enjoying it a lot. “I’ve been dating Monday through Wednesday for two weeks. Sometimes for lunch, sometimes for lunch and dinner. It has been very good not only because of the fear of the pandemic, but also because of the fear of spending, ”he added.
A recent mother, Cátia Almeida, also said that it was the first time she had eaten out with her family since giving birth and that the promotion was an added incentive. “I think there is always fear because we never know who we are going to be in contact with or where we can get the virus or not. We are always afraid. If there was no such discount, maybe people would be more at home. What the Government has done is really motivate people to go out and help those who have a business ”, she justified.
The success has been such that “O Moinho” stopped closing for rest on Monday and “Lusitania” and other British restaurants decided to extend, on their own, the promotion during the month of September.
“It will be a risk, but not so much because people come and spend money. They come in groups, buy beers or a good bottle of wine ”, predicts Artur Andrade.
The UK has recorded at least 41,499 deaths since Sunday since the pandemic began, among more than 334,000 confirmed cases of infection with the new coronavirus.
The Covid-19 pandemic has already claimed at least 843,000 deaths and infected more than 25 million people in 196 countries and territories, according to a report by the French agency AFP.
