News and Views

Communities across Cumbria are being urged to make use of the Government’s new ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme – running on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout August – to help local food and drink businesses get back on their feet.

As the county’s official Destination Marketing Organisation, Cumbria Tourism says the 50% discounts are a great way not only for local people to get back out and rediscover the range of foodie treats on their doorstep, but also to show their practical support for local tourism and hospitality businesses which were closed during lockdown.

Cumbria’s visitor economy supports 65,500 jobs in the county and Cumbria Tourism’s research has already revealed an estimated loss of almost £2billion across the industry so far this year. It's hoped that ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ will provide a much-needed boost by increasing customer confidence not just about eating out, but also about combining meals with day trips or overnight stays to other parts of Cumbria they may have missed in recent months.

“The Lake District, Cumbria is renowned for its world class food and this new government-subsidised initiative is a great opportunity for all businesses which offer eat-in food to get back on the road to recovery,” says Jim Walker, Chairman of Cumbria Tourism.

“As well as directly supporting food and drink businesses, we hope the Eat Out to Help Out scheme will encourage both residents and visitors to rediscover our diverse and inspirational county, or perhaps to seek out parts of Cumbria they haven’t explored before. Businesses have been working hard to implement all the necessary health and safety measures, to reassure everyone that they can enjoy a great food experience at the same time as helping to safeguard local jobs and livelihoods.

Jo Lappin, Chair of the Business and Economic Response and Recovery Group and Chief Executive of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, adds, “Eat Out to Help Out is a really positive way to support local businesses and help our restaurants and pubs to get back on their feet after lockdown. It a great opportunity for everybody to get out and about, sample everything that is on offer and treat themselves and friends and family to a meal at the same time.”

During August the Brockhole Café and The Gaddum Restaurant are participating in the Eat out to Help Out initiative.

Sam Mason, General Manager of Brockhole on Windermere says, “This is a fantastic way for people to support the Lake District hospitality industry while enjoying great food. So if you want to feed the family after a busy morning of activities at our 30 acre Brockhole site, or you want to treat yourself to a sumptuous afternoon tea, enjoying one of the best views in the Lake District then please book your table with us. We’re thrilled to be welcoming visitors back and are proud that we have received official Good to Go accreditation from Visit England.”

The Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme will give people a discount of up to 50% when eating or drinking soft drinks in participating cafes, pubs, restaurants and hotels Monday-Wednesday, from 3 to 31 August. The maximum discount available is £10 per person, with establishments deducting the money off the bill and claiming it back from the Government.

Cumbria Tourism is promoting participating Cumbrian businesses on its visitor facing website www.visitlakedistrict.com - which people can also use to plan other activities across the county – and is asking customers to plan ahead and book in advance.

The Government has also launched a restaurant finder to enable diners to search for participating eateries within a 5 mile radius of a specific postcode.