That’s a rich dish, Rishi
÷ He serves up a £500m meal deal to get us dining out again ÷But anti-obesity backlash as price of junk food is slashed by half
CUT-priCe meal deals will be dished out to diners in August, the Chancellor announced yesterday.
Taxpayers will cover half of the bill – up to £10 per head – through the eat Out to Help Out scheme that’s designed to boost the hospitality sector.
However the £500million giveaway immediately ran into trouble with health campaigners pointing out it could encourage people to eat more junk food.
Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum said: ‘This looks like the mother and father of Bogofs [buy one, get one free offers] and a green light to promote any old junk menu that the participating restaurant feels it can get away with.
‘With obesity rates ever increasing and now firmly linked to Covid-19, who wants more of the same?’
At the weekend, NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said that obesity doubles the chance of dying from coronavirus.
Burger King boss Alasdair Murdoch last night confirmed his chain would sell halfprice Whoppers thanks to the scheme.
Unveiling the plan yesterday, rishi Sunak said it was an idea that has never been tried before, but added: ‘This moment is unique, we need to be creative.
‘To get customers back into restaurants, cafes and pubs and protect the 1.8million people who work in them, for the month of August we will give everyone in the country an eat Out to Help Out discount,’ he said.
Under the scheme, Britons will get 50 per cent off the cost of meals from Monday to Wednesday. it means that an £80 restaurant bill for a family of four would be reduced to £40. A couple spending £45 would pay £25.
Soft drinks will be included in the deal although alcohol will not.
Meals must be consumed on the premises so takeaway food won’t count. However, the Government is already making it easier for pubs, restaurants and cafes to turn pavements, terraces and even car parks into outdoor seating areas.
Under temporary laws, premises in england and Wales can apply for ‘pavement licences’ so they can put tables and chairs outside with a fast-tracked application process and reduced fee of £100. The eat Out to Help Out discount can be used ‘unlimited times’.
Officials had considered dishing out vouchers to everyone, but decided it would lead to an increased risk of fraud and would take longer to administer.
Businesses will need to register on the Government website to take part, with full details due to be published next week.
After offering the discounts to diners, venues will be able to claim the money back from the Government with Mr Sunak promising that funds will be in their bank accounts within five working days. it is estimated the scheme will cost taxpayers £500million.
Treasury officials yesterday said the Chancellor had chosen to make the scheme available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays when people are traditionally less likely to eat out to help restaurants and pubs that are running with reduced capacity due to social-distancing rules to spread their custom through the week.
Shares in restaurant companies rose following the announcement. Andy Hornby, chief executive of Wagamama-owner The restaurant Group, said: ‘This will be a genuine help as we welcome back our customers in what will continue to be a very challenging market.’
Last night the Chancellor gave his own backing to Wagamama when he dropped in to a branch on London’s South Bank to serve surprised diners their meals.
pubs, bars and cafes in england were allowed to resume trading on
Food for thought: Rishi Sunak ki in a London Wagamama last night
Saturday. However, polls have shown that many people are still reluctant to go out. Venues in Wales will be able to reopen outdoors from Monday.
Last night Mps joked about how the discount scheme could increase obesity. The DUp’s Sammy Wilson said: ‘i think the clothes shops might welcome it as well, as once we’ve eaten our way through a month’s half-priced meals, we might all be visiting them.’
The Chancellor replied: ‘perhaps alongside eat Out to Help Out, we can make progress on reopening our gyms so at the same time we can deal with that side of the equation.’ Tory former minister Tim Loughton added the Government’s message should be ‘eat out to help out to work out’.
Boris Johnson last week said Britain needs to lose weight so it is better prepared for health crises such as coronavirus. He warned the country is ‘significantly fatter’ than its european neighbours.
Ministers are considering offering fitness and healthy eating programmes and possibly a wider use of bariatric surgery, which includes the fitting of gastric bands.
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‘Many are still reluctant to go out’