Julia Lopez MP encourages local residents to eat out to help out

The Eat out to Help Out scheme has been launched at restaurants across Hornchurch & Upminster this week, giving diners up to 50% off their bills in local restaurants, cafes and pubs on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout August.

The scheme – part of the government’s Plan for Jobs to spur the country’s economic recovery from coronavirus – applies to all food and non-alcoholic drinks, with a maximum discount of £10 per person.

There are over fifty restaurants and cafes participating in the scheme across the constituency including Hornchurch’s Tea Island, Upminster’s Sorrento and chains including Costa Coffee and McDonald’s at Gallows Corner.

Over 72,000 establishments are participating in total, with more than 7200 in London alone, including independent eateries and family favourites such as Pizza Express and Nando’s.

The scheme will help keep more money in hardworking families’ pockets and give the UK’s hospitality sector a vital boost.

Also included in the Government’s £30billion Plan for Jobs:

•         A temporary cut in VAT for the tourism and hospitality sectors.

•         A Job Retention Bonus to encourage employers to retain staff who have been on the furlough scheme, with the Government paying a one-off bonus of £1,000 for every employee who was furloughed and who is kept on until 31 January. 

•         The temporary removal of stamp duty on all homes under £500,000 until the end of March 2021, to catalyse the housing market. 

•         A new Kickstart Scheme, which will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully-subsidised jobs for young people.

Hornchurch and Upminster’s MP, Julia Lopez, welcomed the scheme, saying ‘Cafes, bars and pubs – and all those who work in and enjoy them – have had a really tough time through the pandemic and I am glad to see this much-needed support scheme from the government for the crucial summer season. My team have been out meeting cafe owners and restauranteurs across the constituency to raise awareness of the scheme and hear all about the covid measures they have put in place to help residents enjoy summer safely. I hope that the Eat out to Help Out scheme provides a great boost to those businesses participating and protects jobs across a sector that brings such vibrancy to our town centres.’