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All good things must come to an end, they say, and today sees the end of the government-funded Eat Out to Help Out plan.
Launched by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in July, for three days a week the deal offered half-price discounts on food to eat up to the value of £ 10 per person.
It was designed to help jump-start a hotel industry decimated by the COVID-19 emergency shutdown.
And it worked: 84,000 restaurants and cafes participated in the plan, which served more than 64 million meals in just three weeks.
Several chains and establishments have said that they will extend the discount offer until September
But despite government data showing the scheme’s rapid growth, with 10.5 million meals claimed in the first week, 35 million meals in the second, and 64 million meals in the third, it has so far ignored the requests for it to be extended. .
The Small Business Federation is among those who want a continuation of the practice.
Its head of external affairs, Craig Beaumont, said: “This plan has been an overwhelming success. We have seen behavior change, we have seen people come in and enjoy their local small businesses safely, and we have seen our high streets. beginning to revitalize.
“And that’s why we really want to see an extension of the scheme, or some form of the scheme, to continue to ensure that this continues throughout the fall. We need the economic recovery to really take place, and the hospitality sector should be at the heart of it. “
In an industry where 80% stopped trading and 1.4 million employees were laid off, the plan was such a welcome boost that many restaurants have taken it into their own hands to continue it.
The hospitality sector was one of the industries hardest hit by the virus, with 80% of businesses disrupting trade and 1.4 million licensed workers in April.
Chains such as Pizza Hut, Bill’s and Pizza Pilgrims are among the restaurants that say they will continue to get 50% off next month.
Other smaller companies are also following suit, such as The Arabica Bar And Kitchen in London’s Borough Market.
Its operations manager, Pedro Oliveira, said: “Rishi’s incentive has definitely had an impact, and a positive one, to bring some formal normality to the life of the public. So we think it’s time we did something too, like this. who decided to continue with that plan for September. “
The government has refused to extend the subsidy
With government debt now at around £ 2 trillion and rumors of tax increases on the horizon to pay it off, there is no indication that the chancellor will change his mind.
In a statement, Mr. Sunak said: “As the Eat Out to Help Out program draws to a close, I want to thank the diners who have fallen in love with their location, the managers who have spent weeks securing their restaurants. they were safe and for chefs, waiters and waitresses across the country who have worked tirelessly, sometimes with more clients than they ever had before, all helping to protect 1.8 million jobs in the hospitality industry.
“The plan reminded us why we as a nation love dining out and I urge diners to maintain momentum to help continue our economic recovery.”
