Rugbeians enjoy more than 65,000 meals during the Eat Out to Help Out scheme

Mark Pawsey MP (left) and Daniel Lengden, landlord of the Bulls Head in Brinklow who benefitted from the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Photo taken prior to social distancing restrictions.

More than 65,000 meals were claimed in Rugby and Bulkington thanks to the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, and Rugby MP Mark Pawsey believes the scheme has saved some of the constituencies cafes, restaurants and pubs from closure.

The scheme, which ran through August, saw 74 restaurants in the Rugby and Bulkington constituency signing up.

Rugbeians enjoyed an average discount of £5.83 per meal.

Mr Pawsey said: “I am delighted at the level of support residents in Rugby and Bulkington 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. The scheme was about protecting jobs at businesses which have really struggled through coronavirus, and getting people back out safely as we begin to recover.

“The figures we have seen show that this scheme has been a great success and without it I have no doubt that there are businesses in Rugby and Bulkington today which may have closed over the summer.

"The Government has brought forward an unprecedented package of measures to help protect, support and create jobs as we bounce back from coronavirus and will continue to do whatever it takes over the coming months.”

Across the country more 100 million meals were discounted - and the Government believes the scheme has helped to protect 1.8 million jobs nationally.

Data available from OpenTable shows bookings increased by an average of 52 per cent on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the whole of August, compared to the same days in 2019.

The Eat Out to Help Out scheme is one part of an overall £30 billion 'Plan for Jobs' strategy launched by the Government to help the country recover from the impact of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown.

Backing the hospitality sector, which has been particularly badly impacted by the outbreak, is a key part of this strategy and it will be supported by a temporary discount to VAT, from 20 per cent to five per cent, until January 12 next year.