Eat out scheme is ‘a tremendous help’ say Wharfedale businesses

That is how some Wharfedale businesses have described the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out dining discount scheme.

The initiative, which is running through August, is enabling participating restaurants, pubs and cafes to offer customers a 50 per cent discount on food and soft drinks on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The scheme has been adopted by some 3,962 businesses across Yorkshire and the Humber including a number in Wharfedale, Keighley, the Craven District and Aireborough.

In Addingham, the Craven Heifer is one of the venues that has signed up.

The manager, Gavin Patterson, said: “We are very grateful for the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

“This latest initiative from the Government has helped us tremendously.

“Leaving party politics aside, I believe the assistance that UK businesses have received during this pandemic has been amazing.”

The owner of Café on the Square in Keighley, Antonio Gentile, has been equally impressed.

He said: “We are in difficult times at the moment but this scheme has helped in bringing customers back through our doors.

“We had a busy first Monday and our first Tuesday was great.

“We have lots of regulars and it has been brilliant to see them again.

“Our Café on the Square is very much open and we are delighted to welcome anyone in.”

Conservative MP for Keighley and Ilkley, Robbie Moore, is backing the initiative and encouraging local resident to take advantage of the offer.

He said: “The Eat Out To Help Out scheme is a great way to boost local businesses and protect jobs across our hospitality sector, which has been hard hit by the coronavirus, while allowing families to keep more money in their pockets.

“We have a great many restaurants across Keighley, Ilkley, Craven and the Worth Valley and I encourage all to enjoy summer safely by going out and supporting their local eating place.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has said he hopes the scheme will protect jobs in the hospitality sector by encouraging people to start eating out again as the country slowly, and carefully, eases out of the COVID-19 lockdown.