Final day of Eat Out To Help Out restaurant scheme

The UK Government’s Eat Out To Help Out scheme to boost the hospitality industry is into its final day.

More than 64 million people throughout the UK took advantage of the scheme in its first three weeks alone, according to government figures.

The initiative sees the Treasury foot the bill for 50% of diners’ food and non-alcoholic drinks at participating restaurants up to a maximum discount of £10 per head.

It has been running on Monday to Wednesday throughout the month of August.

It has been part of an effort by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to revive the country’s restaurants, pubs and cafes after the sector was ravaged by the Covid-19 lockdown.

He also slashed VAT from 20% to 5% for tourism and hospitality businesses until at least January.

Thousands of Scottish eateries signed up for the subsidy scheme, and some have committed to continuing the policy off their own backs in September.

The UK Government has given no indication it will extend public funding for the scheme.

Meanwhile there have been calls to extend Eat Out To Help Out in Aberdeen due to the city remaining in lockdown during the majority of August.

Earlier this week a poll showed that four-fifths of businesses in area would support a localised version of the scheme.