According to new figures the Eat Out To Help Out scheme boosted pub and restaurant sales seeing trading levels bounce back to normal levels.
According to the monthly Coffer Peach business tracker, like-for-like sales in the hospitality sector during August remained flat against the same month from 2019 after a strong rebound from July.
Karl Chessell, director of CGA, the consultancy which produces the tracker said, “To get back to last year’s sales levels in those sites that were able to trade is some achievement just a month after the industry started to reopen, and credit has to go to the Government-backed discount scheme that attracted so many people back out to eat, plus the cut in VAT on food.
“But of course, not all parts of the market benefited, and there will also be concern about what the Government’s new legally-enforced restrictions will have on consumer confidence in the weeks ahead.”
Paul Newman, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM added, “These results demonstrate what a huge success the Eat Out To Help Out scheme has been in spurring households to visit pubs and restaurants in August, many for the first time since lockdown began.
“It is no surprise that food-led businesses benefited most with the proportion of delivery sales seeing a temporary dip from the highs of lockdown.
“September is another crucial month for the sector with the furlough scheme starting to unwind and the rent moratorium due to end.”
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