The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Local businesses report rise in bookings – but will it last?
The picture is a little more optimistic away from city centres with customers choosing to stay local.
Alan Bannerman, who owns the Red House Hotel in Coupar Angus along with the Dalmore Inn in Blairgowrie, said he believed bookings had come in on the back of the new initiative, but it remains to be seen whether they can be sustained.
He said: “The fact it applies early to midweek, which can be quieter days, is good. In both of my places we’ve got a number of bookings (for those days), which is encouraging but how long will it last?
“It might be OK for the first week but are people going to keep going out on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays?
“That said, there may be people who have been shielding who might not have had the confidence to go back out and this might be an incentive.
“The fact we’re trying to do everything properly so they come and see there’s plenty of space between tables, staff are wearing masks, there’s hand sanitiser available, it might give them that reassurance.”
Both venues let customers know via social media that they were taking part in the scheme and have signs to make passersby aware, too.
Alan added: “We’ve had it on Facebook for both places and we were given signs to put up, so I would say most of the bookings for Monday to Wednesday are because of the scheme.
“The main thing is they’re getting the money off food and soft drinks, and soft drinks is a big part of the business. There’s not so many have a bottle of wine early in the week.”
The Red House is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and Alan believes the business’s food offering is going to be central to its future.
With this in mind, he has been working with local suppliers and food service company Brakes Scotland to source high-quality produce.
He said: “We’re proud to be the last hotel still open in Coupar Angus when many others have closed over the last four decades.
“The Covid-19 crisis has left us trying to claw back as much turnover as we can in the last six months of this year, but without any weddings or coach party bookings taking place at the hotel.
“It’s clear that in the coming months, our food and drink offering is now going to be more important than ever, so we are keen to collaborate as much as possible with our fantastic bunch of suppliers.”