From 3 to 31 August, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme will be available.
Venues with a dining area or shared area can register to provide a 50% discount, up to a maximum of £10, for food or non-alcoholic drinks that are eaten or drunk on the premises. This will apply to food sold all day on 13 days in August and there is no minimum spend requirement.
We have some resources to share with you, including a toolkit with images and downloadable posters. We have also been chosen to take part in a pilot with social media agency Maybe* to help raise the profile of Canterbury throughout the Eat Out to Help Out campaign.
You don’t have to be part of the scheme to promote and benefit from it. For example, some salons are piggy backing on it by encouraging people to get their hair, nails, etc done beforehand. A pamper day!
The toolkit includes:
– Quick overview of the scheme
– Link to promotional materials and how to use them
– Examples of generic social media posts with links to assets
– Link to the government’s list of participating venues, not live yet!
– List of #s to choose from
Let’s make the most of this to help drive footfall, dwell time and spend to Canterbury, and to remind people that our city is welcoming and safe!
Please make sure you register for the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme before July 7th to help boost footfall and spend in Canterbury this August.
The funding from government will be available for meals and drinks consumed from 3 to 31 August on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The discount will only apply in businesses that are registered with the government and the discount is claimed back by the business from government.
There is no cost to business for taking part.
Who is eligible?
The Government guidance says that eligible establishments are those in which food is sold for immediate on-premises consumption. This could include:
- restaurants
- cafés
- public houses that serve food
- hotel restaurants
- restaurants and cafes within tourist attractions, holiday sites and leisure facilities
- dining rooms within members’ clubs
- workplace and school canteens
If the business is of this type, they are eligible to take part even if they have had other support from government under COVID funding programmes. Businesses must have registered as a food business with the relevant local authority on or before 7 July
Exclusions
The discount will only apply for food and drink consumed immediately in a dining area. There is guidance as to how this is determined:
- Hotels: for food and drink consumed in the restaurant but not elsewhere. In addition, food and drink included in the accommodation cost (ie Bed & Breakfast) is excluded.
- Mobile vans and takeaways: They are ineligible for the scheme, even if they have casual seating around them unless they have the facility to offer dining on the premises.
- Private parties, functions, events: The discount does not apply to these even in a venue that can offer discounts in the normal course of business.
- Catering services: They are not eligible for the scheme
- Service charges: This is not part of the scheme and cannot be included when applying the discount
What to do now:
- Register!
- Let us know that you have registered so that we can promote you locally, regionally and nationally
- Make use of national promotional materials
How else is government helping?
Venues that register will get access to free marketing materials from government and a display sticker will be sent to them.
The government will be doing national promotion of the scheme on radio, media and through advertising. It will list venues taking part online.
It is encouraging local campaigns but using the official logo
It is offering access to free webinars, a YouTube video and webchat service as well as a dedicated helpline for businesses and guidance on how to make claims.
FAQs
Does this apply to cafes with outside seating? Yes as long as you have indoor seating and the outdoor is part of a dedicated space for the café
Does this apply to shopping centre outlets with shared seating areas? Yes as long as the food and drink is for immediate consumption in the designated area
What about stalls at a stadium or attraction? Only if there is a dedicated area belonging to you for use by your customers
Does this apply with other discounts offered? Yes but to calculate the value of the transaction and make a claim to HMRC, you must first apply any special offers, vouchers or discount schemes you might be promoting or accepting and deduct any service charge. You will only be reimbursed for the qualifying discounts you provide as part of the scheme.
Can I offer less than 50% discount: No. The terms of the scheme cannot be changed
Who counts as a ‘diner’? A diner is any person, adult or child, for whom food or drink is being purchased for consumption on premises. A diner does not need to be the paying customer.
What happens with more than one diner in a group? Where there is more than one diner on a single bill, the cap does not need to be calculated for each individual diner based on their specific orders. Instead, the discount that is applied to the overall bill should be capped at the number of diners multiplied by £10.
Registration and more information:
Information on how to register and registration link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/register-your-establishment-for-the-eat-out-to-help-out-scheme
Download national promotional materials: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eat-out-to-help-out-scheme-promotional-materials
Detailed guidance on eligibility and exclusions: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/get-more-information-about-the-eat-out-to-help-out-scheme/get-more-information-about-the-eat-out-to-help-out-scheme
