More than 75,000 meals served in Pendle for 'Eat Out to Help Out'

More than 75,000 meals were claimed in Pendle under the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, according to the latest statistics.
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In total, more than 100 million meals were claimed across the UK under the scheme, which ran throughout the month of August. In total, 84,700 establishments signed up to the scheme, including 66 in Pendle.

The news come as a boost to Pendle's embattled hospitality sector, which suffered a huge blow when Barrowford-based The Seafood Pub Company went into administration in June, with the owners citing the undue influence of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Popular Pendle eataries in the group, the Forest at Fence, the Alma Inn at Laneshawbridge, and the Barley Mow in Barley were all forced to close their doors.

More than 75,000 meals were claimed in Pendle under the schemeMore than 75,000 meals were claimed in Pendle under the scheme
More than 75,000 meals were claimed in Pendle under the scheme

But Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have hailed the success of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which was designed to support the hospitality industry after a challenging few months because of coronavirus.

The scheme is credited with protecting 1.8 million jobs across the country, with restaurant bookings significantly up on the previous year. Data from OpenTable shows bookings increased by an average of 52% on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the whole of August, compared to the same days in 2019.

The Government will continue to support the hospitality industry with a temporary discount to VAT, from 20% to 5%, until January 12th 2021.

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Mr Stephenson said: “I am absolutely thrilled at the level of support local people in Pendle have provided to our brilliant restaurants and hospitality businesses.

“Eat Out to Help Out was always about far more than just giving people money off their meals – it was about protecting jobs which are reliant on businesses which have really struggled through coronavirus.

“I have no doubt that there are businesses in Pendle today which, without this brilliant scheme, may not have made it through the summer. I hope local people will continue to support them in the months ahead.”