Health-conscious diners can enjoy a tasty bite for 50pc off across Norfolk as dozens of restaurants register for the government’s new scheme.
All kinds of restaurants, pubs and cafes are taking part in the discount initiative which runs every Monday-Wednesday until the end of August in the government’s bid to entice people back out to eat again.
It comes as this newspaper’s Love Local campaign is encouraging people to support businesses close to home which have suffered a loss of trade over lockdown.
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Chris Avey, who runs the vegetarian River Green cafe in Trowse, Norwich, said he was already getting booked up for next Monday-Wednesday. He partly reopened rather than all week to see the amount of customers and is changing his working hours next week so he can accommodate the scheme. He said after a bit of a slow start following lockdown he had been really busy last Sunday although as a result of social distancing, he has had to lose seven tables. But as a result of the scheme, he is not planning to open at the end of next week.
“With everyone coming out Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I don’t think people will come out the rest of the week,” he said.
Bosses at the vegan Erpingham House in Norwich, also said they were reopening specially on Mondays-Wednesdays next week so they could take part in the scheme. They reopened after lockdown at the end of the week and weekends only but from next week will be open every day,
But not all restaurateurs were completely enamoured with the scheme. Amelia Kleiser, who runs the meat and gluten free Amandines, in Diss, said she had not registered yet but was looking into it. She said she did not usually open on Mondays and Tuesdays – meaning she could only offer the discount on a Wednesday.
“I don’t think the scheme is as flexible as it should be because it should be up to restaurant owners when they can offer it,” she said. “I would need to reorganise staff to cope with more people on a Wednesday and I might not be able to do that because they’re committed to other jobs, so I don’t think the scheme is as well thought out as it could be.”
The Eat Out to Help Out Scheme offers a 50pc discount on food or non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in (up to a maximum of £10 discount per diner). A full list of participating restaurants in Norfolk is available by clicking here
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