Come dine with me!

RISHI £10 OFF MEAL DEALS

CHANCELLOR Rishi Sunak unveiled a half-price “meal deal” yesterday as part of a £30billion rescue package to save the economy.

His mini-budget announcements also included a £1,000 bonus for firms if they bring back a furloughed worker until the end of January 2021.

Mr Sunak warned “hardship lies ahead”, but insisted that no-one will be left “without hope”.

VAT will be cut from 20% to 5% on hot food, accommodation and attractions such as theme parks for the next six months.

Restaurant meals will be half-price at up to £10 per head from Mondays to Wednesdays in August, although booze is not included. And a £2billion “kickstart scheme” will offer six-month work placements for 16 to 24-year-olds, with the Government paying their wages.

Stamp duty will be cut until next March, with the threshold at which house buyers don’t pay it rising from £125,000 to £500,000.

Households can also apply for vouchers from a £2billion “green homes grant” to make their homes more energy efficient.

The Chancellor said: “While we can’t protect every job, one of the most important things we can do to prevent unemployment is to get as many people as possible from furlough back to their jobs.

“I will never accept unemployment as an unavoidable outcome”.

Ukhospitality boss Kate Nicholls welcomed the “reassuring” package, adding: “Customer confidence is key to our sector’s revival and our ability to help Britain’s economic recovery.

“This doesn’t mean we are out of the woods and there are still significant challenges ahead.”