Diners across the Isle of Wight will see their restaurant bills slashed by as much as 50% from today (Monday) as the Government’s landmark ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme officially opens for business.
Anyone visiting a participating restaurant, café or pub on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout August will receive the half price discount – keeping more money in hardworking families’ pockets and giving a vital boost to the UK’s hospitality sector.
The scheme applies to all food and non-alcoholic drinks, with a maximum discount per person of £10. It could save a family of 4 up to £40 per meal.
More than 72,000 establishments are participating, including independent eateries and family favourites. You can find which eateries are taking part on the Island by entering your postcode at https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/eat-out-to-help-out/find-a-restaurant. Over 80 different establishments are listed within just 5 miles of Ryde alone.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:
“Our Eat Out to Help Out scheme’s number one aim is to help protect the jobs of 1.8 million chefs, waiters and restaurateurs by boosting demand and getting customers through the door.
“More than 72,000 establishments will be serving discounted meals across the country, with the government paying half the bill. The industry is a vital ingredient to our economy and it’s been hit hard by coronavirus, so enjoy summer safely by showing your favourite places your support – we’ll pay half.”
People may be worried about returning to eat out. To address these concerns, businesses have prepared to become COVID-secure through, for example, protective screens, contactless payments, social distancing, one way walking systems, online bookings and reduced capacity.
There is no minimum spend and the discount can be used at the same time as other offers and discounts. The maximum discount per person is £10. All diners in a group of any size will qualify for the automatic discount.
We are taking part at the Sportsman’s Rest in Porchfield. Booking highly recommended.
http://www.thesportsmansrestiow.co.uk
If the Government have to ‘bribe’ people to eat out, then this is a dangerous tactic on their part. For IF people felt comfortable eating out, they would.
It is not that most are hard up, many many people I know have been better off, more tax credits, spending less because places were closed, many had furlough wages and are working elsewhere etc. so even if the food was FREE many would still be dubious about eating out.
How can a Government tell you only weeks ago not even to drive in your own car to a remote spot and NOW with cases rising, then bribe you to eat out?
The virus is still with us, it is much cheaper still to eat better food, for less money and less risk in your own home.
I suggest people do so, or the ‘price’ you pay could be very expensive.
Agree fully Carley. No one cares about safety like you would at home. You don’t know the staff lifestyle, and as infection is not immediate the risk of catching this and passing it on to the elderly or even children cannot be just ‘ignored’ because the food is cheaper than normal but still a rip off compared with cooking at home.
Rather wait until the vaccine is out there, than see and elderly relative die, or a child’s white coffin being lowered into the ground just to eat out, at full, half or FREE costs.
The danger is when people believe that the danger is not there anymore but it is.