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80 Percent Of People Want The Government's Eat Out To Help Out Scheme Extended

80 Percent Of People Want The Government's Eat Out To Help Out Scheme Extended

People have had their say on the scheme that has been running throughout August

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

Eighty percent of people say they think the government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme should be extended through to September.

With the scheme ending next week, we asked our readers whether they believe it would be a good idea to see it continue for another month.

And it's fair to say the result was pretty one-sided, with 79.9 percent of the 16,721 people who took part voting for it to stay put.

The scheme, which is backed with government money, gives diners 50 percent off their meals up to £10 a head from Monday to Wednesday each week in August at participating restaurants.

The aim was to help the hospitality industry get back on its feet following months of uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic.

And, unsurprisingly, it's proved to be massively popular with people looking to make a saving while also wanting to get back to some kind of normal.

Commenting on our Twitter poll, readers praised the government for the scheme, claiming it had saved 'countless jobs'.

One person said: "I think it's one of the best government schemes of all time. I saw that before this week over 35m claims made, that's up to £350m injected into a struggling industry. All the jobs saved, mortgages then saved, the impact of mass unemployment / failed businesses saved."

However, others said that perhaps it should be a phased extension, benefiting smaller independents rather than larger chains.

Others said it might be better to stop it now and then bring it back in the winter to help restaurants 'when they really need it'.

But while it has undoubtedly helped businesses survive during this turbulent time, some people pointed out it's a double-edged sword.

With the government pledging to cover the other 50 percent of the bill, they raised concerns that extending it for a further month would see the national debt spiral out of control, with the tax payer having to pay further down the line.

One person asked: "Surely the more we extend it, the more debt we get into?"


While another said that because the scheme only runs Monday to Wednesday, it had badly affected weekend business.

They said: "I know four people who have had to lose their weekend serving job as nobody is eating out on Saturday and Sunday as its cheaper to go out between Monday to Wednesday. The government implements these things without really thinking of the consequences, it should have been done for whole week."

Another said that if it were to be extended, perhaps other industries should be supported rather than restaurants.

One reader suggested: "No, I wouldn't extend it as is, but would choose another industry to support in a similar manner, like theatres or cinemas, if we want to kickstart these industries a government subsidy will help business pick up quickly as confidence slowly recovers!"

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Food, UK News