Business federation chief urges extension of Eat Out to Help Out

A plea has been made to the Government to extend its Eat Out to Help Out initiative to support the hospitality industry’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
By Gay Bolton
Published 27th Aug 2020, 11:32 BST
The Eat Out to Help Out scheme has been a big hit with customers and small food and drink outlets.The Eat Out to Help Out scheme has been a big hit with customers and small food and drink outlets.
The Eat Out to Help Out scheme has been a big hit with customers and small food and drink outlets.

The Federation of Small Businesses made the appeal on behalf of thousands of food and drink outlets which need continued backing.

Mike Cherry, national chairman of the federation, said: “The Eat Out to Help Out scheme has been an overwhelming success in getting people back on their high streets and in their town centres. We now need to see it extended to continue the critical support that it is providing for small firms as we enter a period of economic make or break.

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“Over the past few weeks, the scheme has been hugely welcomed by small businesses and their customers alike. A nationwide one-month extension would go some way to helping many firms which are still only just about managing in this time of crisis.

“More than 35 million meals have been dished out across almost 50,000 restaurants and cafés who have been able to reap the rewards of this great initiative but as we enter September with schools reopening and more people going back to their places of work there are still strong merits to continuing this for one more month.

“Additional support is still needed for certain groups in the leisure sector, especially pubs.

“These remain difficult times for the small business community, with the stress and strains of this crisis continuing to be felt."

Related topics:GovernmentCovid-19