Call to extend eat out scheme
As the original period for the Eat Out to Help Out scheme drew to a close on Monday, the Ayrshire Joint Economic Committee made a plea to both the UK and the Scottish Government to consider extending the scheme until the end of November.
The hospitality sector is one of the worst affected by Covid- 19, with premises having to close down completely in the first few months of lockdown.
And in letters to the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Fergus Ewing MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism, Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council and Chair of the Ayrshire Joint Committee urged politicians to consider the request to help boost prospects for businesses which have suffered during Covid- 19.
Councillor Reid said: “The current Eat Out to Help Out scheme was scheduled to finish on Monday , August 31.
“This has benefitted many hotels, restaurants and bars in this area. “It is crucial to our future economic prospects that support for the hospitality sector continues.
“Traditionally, the period before Christmas is one of the quietest of the year for the industry, and we believe a threemonth extension to the scheme, until the end of November, would have a lasting positive impact on the hospitality sector in Ayrshire and across the UK.”
The Ayrshire hospitality sector employs almost 32,000 people locally in food distribution, hotels and restaurants.