Eateries get $10 rebate to deliver
Wellington’s cafes and restaurants are being given $10 per delivered meal, as they scramble to adjust to the realities of trading under alert level three.
The $10 rebate, being offered by WellingtonNZ, is designed to give the ailing businesses a boost after more than a month in complete lockdown under alert level four.
It will only available to Wellingtonregion eateries for the two confirmed weeks of alert level three, starting on Tuesday, up to a maximum of $500 per business. Eateries would be paid for each meal delivery, whether with their own service, or one of the apps such as Uber Eats, Delivery Easy and Food Ninja.
Under level three, eateries won’t be able to open their premises to the public, but will be able to resume takeaways and deliveries.
WellingtonNZ chief executive Lance Walker said while all business sectors were feeling the pain of Covid-19, it was obvious that hospitality had been severely hit since lockdown.
‘‘The meal delivery rebate scheme is a way of ensuring more money goes into the pockets of businesses as they strive to re-establish their operations, and reconnect with their customers.
‘‘It also recognises that Wellington’s hospitality sector is big part of what gives our region it’s heart – showing manaakitanga every day.
‘‘And while it’s not business as usual by any means, it gives local hospitality businesses a small step on their road to recovery,’’ Walker said.
Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Julie White said the delivery rebate scheme model would hopefully be followed around New Zealand.
Visa Wellington On a Plate, with the support of WellingtonNZ, has also created a region-wide directory of eateries called At Yours, which would be offering takeaways and delivery during level three.
Hosted on the VisaWOAP.com website, the directory is set to launch on Monday and is believed to be the first of its kind in New Zealand.
Sarah Meikle, the chief executive of the Wellington Culinary Events Trust, which runs Visa Wellington On a Plate, said her team wanted to do something to help hospitality businesses. ‘‘Being a one-stop-shop it makes it so easy for people to find what they’re looking for. It’s all up to date as the listings are managed by the food businesses themselves,’’ Meikle said.
The owner of sushi chain St Pierres, Nick Katsoulis, said he was hoping being in the directory would help customers find St Pierres.
‘‘We didn’t expect New Zealand to go into complete lockdown, so it was a real shock when it happened. We were told we had 48 hours to close down 60 shops and that was a massive effort and a very stressful time for us.’’
Katsoulis said they would be opening three stores in Wellington.
Katsoulis said stores in Newtown, Petone and Cuba St would be operating.
‘‘Mainly because they all have parking – and we don’t know how it’s going to go, so there’s an even spread of locations,’’ he said.