Retail director James Brown put the record week down to the Chancellor’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme
Brown was speaking at a webinar organised by data firm CGA today (20 August) when he revealed the business’s performance during the second week of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Drinks sales were not in the same position, he admitted.
Public transport issues are also proving a huge factor in the way people were visiting on-trade venues during the pandemic, he said. London sites were particularly affected with peak hours shifting from 5pm to 10pm pre-pandemic to 5.30pm to 8.30pm now.
Current data from research firm CGA shows the Eat Out to Help Out initiative has been a huge success in encouraging people to go out and giving them confidence to return to pubs, bars and restaurants.
Figures show over a quarter of the total UK population had already used the scheme by 11 August, with 30% of those being first time visitors to on-trade venues since re-opening. A further 26% of people say they are likely to make use of the scheme before it ends on 31 August.
If you want to capitalise on Eat Out to Help Out, we looked at how bars could make the most of it in this feature.
