Hampshire residents Eat Out to Help Out

By the end of the first week of the scheme, 83,000 individual restaurant premises had registered across the UK.

Councillor Rob Humby, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Environment at Hampshire County Council, said: “I’m pleased to hear this national scheme is doing well in Hampshire and encouraging people to venture out again after the Coronavirus lockdown, supporting local businesses.  As well as bringing customers back to cafes and restaurants across the county, it is also increasing footfall in high streets and town centres, helping Hampshire’ economic recovery.”

“With easing of lockdown restrictions and pubs and restaurants re-opening, the accommodation and food services sector has seen by far the sharpest increase in economic output nationally, up 68.2% in June from the previous month.”

Tracy Nash, Commercial Manager, Hampshire Fare, said: “We have been running our own extensive ‘Stay Loyal, Stay Local’ campaign since June, and launched a new hospitality-focused phase to coincide with the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

“The Eat Out to Help Out scheme has provided an important boost to the hospitality sector and helped to restore consumer confidence in eating out. I have spoken to several of our hospitality members who have said they are now fully booked for August although they are obviously accepting fewer diners to accommodate social distancing requirements.

“To put this into context – it was reported that sales nationally across hospitality were down 50.4% year on year this July, with restaurants worst hit. Therefore, this support has been welcomed and needed. Around 75% of our hospitality members have participated in the scheme and those I have spoken to have been very pleased with it, finding the scheme easy to operate and generating far more business at a time of the week that is usually quiet.”

Eat Out to Help Out runs until 31 August and offers a 50% discount on food or non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in, up to a maximum of £10 per diner on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at participating establishments. For more information, go to: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-a-discount-with-the-eat-out-to-help-out-scheme