Take-up of Eat Out to Help Out discounts across Horsham and South Downs villages revealed

Discounts on more than 65,000 meals were claimed across the Horsham constituency under the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, according to latest figures.
The Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme has now wound up (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) SUS-200709-123833001The Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme has now wound up (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) SUS-200709-123833001
The Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme has now wound up (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) SUS-200709-123833001

Participating eateries offered money off on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the month of August.

In the Horsham constituency, which includes the surrounding villages down to Billingshurst, more than 67,000 meals were claimed across 97 locations.

The total discount was £369,000 at an average of £5.54.

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Arundel and South Downs saw 109,000 discount claims at 149 eateries, with claims totalling £596,000 averaging at £5.47.

According to the Government the scheme is credited with helping to protect 1.8million jobs across the country.

Data 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.

Arundel and South Downs MP Andrew Griffith said: “The towns of Arundel, Steyning and Hurstpierpoint all triumphed with more than 50 participating restaurants and even diners in more rural Petworth, Wisborough Green and Pulborough had around two dozen restaurants to choose from. Through August we saw 109,000 meals discounted across Arundel and the South Downs.

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“This was a well-executed scheme from ‘thought to fork’, with over 87,000 restaurants, cafes and pubs benefited covering 64 million meals across Britain.

“I am just as excited about the latest Kickstart Scheme - launched last week - and which will create hundreds of thousands of new fully-subsidised jobs for young people.”

Horsham MP Jeremy Quin added: “The scheme has proved a huge success locally and nationally.

“It has contributed to getting people back into our towns and villages. Judging by Horsham this weekend this is a trend that is continuing, alongside schools returning and many offices seeing increasing numbers of employees coming in full or part time.”

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Chancellor Rishi Sunak added: “From the get-go our mission has been to protect jobs, and to do this we needed to be creative, brave and try things that no government has ever done before.

“Today’s figures continue to show Eat Out to Help Out has been a success. I want to thank everyone, from restaurant owners to waiters, chefs and diners, for embracing it and helping drive our economic recovery.

“The scheme is just one part of our Plan for Jobs and we will continue to protect, support and create jobs to ensure we come back stronger as a nation.”

The local breakdowns do not take into account registered businesses with more than 25 outlets, who are not required to provide individual restaurant details.

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