Restaurants more than a quarter busier than they were before lockdown on back of Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Eat Out to Help Out scheme

By DAILY MAIL CITY & FINANCE REPORTER

Updated:

Restaurants have been more than a quarter busier than they were before lockdown on the back of Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Eat Out to Help Out scheme. 

Between Mondays and Wednesdays over the past two weeks restaurants have been on average 27 per cent fuller than they were on the same days of last year, according to data from restaurant reservation service OpenTable. 

Serving up a feast: Between Mondays and Wednesdays over the past two weeks restaurants have been on average 27 per cent fuller than they were on the same days of last year

Serving up a feast: Between Mondays and Wednesdays over the past two weeks restaurants have been on average 27 per cent fuller than they were on the same days of last year

These are the days when the state-backed scheme, which offers 50 per cent off up to £10 per person for a meal, applies this month. 

This has led to a dip in customers from Thursdays to Sundays – but figures show trading throughout the week was almost boosted back to normal levels. 

The Centre for Economics and Business Research has hailed the dining deal for bringing a 'much-needed boost towards normality', which is coaxing Britons back into the habit of socialising. 

The CEBR estimates that in central London spending in restaurants, pubs and shops was down by £575m each month between March and June. But this is set to recover slightly, falling by £178m in August – in part because of the scheme. 

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