Business

Pizza Express and Côte bosses welcome latest help for restaurants

Restaurant owners had to close sites when the Covid-19 lockdown started
Joanna Hodgson
9 July 2020

Casual dining businesses and pub companies have toasted the government’s latest financial package to help the hospitality sector.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak yesterday said in his summer statement that Government will cut VAT from 20% to 5% from next Wednesday until January 12.

Sunak also announced an “eat out to help out” discount offering 50% off, up to £10 per head, on meals out on Monday to Wednesday during August.

Pubs and restaurants had to shut sites in March for the Covid-19 lockdown and have only been able to reopen from this month, with social distancing measures in place.

Côte chief executive Alex Scrimgeour said: “The chancellor's intervention is most welcome. The measures announced were absolutely necessary to protect jobs and will also help to boost consumer confidence in the short term. Whilst none of us are out of the woods, these are very important first steps on the road to some sort of recovery.”

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Zoe Bowley, managing director at Pizza Express, said: “We welcome the Chancellor’s announcement today, which will provide much-needed support at an incredibly difficult time for the hospitality industry. We are hopeful that these measures will encourage people to eat out again as we reopen our doors in the coming weeks.”

Nick Mackenzie chief executive of pubs giant Greene King yesterday said: “The new eating-out discount will be a great encouragement for customers to support the nation’s pubs at this vital time. While the cut to VAT on food is great news for the hospitality sector, it’s disappointing that it doesn’t extend to beer, given the heavy tax burden on brewers.”

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