Calderdale diners chomp their way through more than £1m of meal discounts

Government appealed for people to come out and eat to support the month-long Eat Out To Help Out scheme, and figures indicate they certainly did!

The scheme, which ended on August 31, was introduced to help businesses re-opening after lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the figures containing claims made up to midnight on August 27, so the totals are actually likely to be slightly higher.

The data only relates to registered businesses with fewer than 25 outlets across the country, so larger chains are not included and would be likely to push totals higher.

The 50 per cent discount scheme was available on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday each of week, available on 13 days in August.

The Government has now published the figures by Parliamentary constituency and show £1,158,000 of discount was claimed with 182,000 meals being eaten in the Halifax and Calder Valley Parliamentary constituencies.

The constituency breakdown shows diners in the Calder Valley constituency, which had 120 businesses registered to take part in the scheme, claiming for 80,000 meals, with the amount of discount being claimed being £542,000, an average of £6.80 in discount per meal.

In Halifax constituency, 101 businesses registered, with 102,000 meals being eaten under the scheme, the amount of discount being claimed being £616,000, an average of £6.01 per meal.

The scheme allowed a 50 per cent discount on food or non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in, up to a maximum of £10 discount per diner.

On the qualifying dates any one diner could take advantage of the offer as many times as they liked.