Diners urged to visit independent restaurants

Diners in Wales and Bristol are being urged to visit independent restaurants by an ‘Eat Independent, Support Local’ campaign launched by Bristol Food Union and the Welsh Independent Restaurant Collective (WIRC).

Stickers promoting the campaign will be displayed in the windows of participating independent restaurants in Bristol and throughout Wales as customers are called to use the UK government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

“Independent restaurants are the heart and soul of towns and villages throughout Wales. They create local jobs, bring people out to the high street, underpin tourism and support our farmers and producers,” comments Simon Wright, restaurateur and one of the WIRC founders.

“As restaurants in Wales begin reopening indoors from today (3 August), they’re facing reduced capacity and increased costs from Covid-proofing premises and a huge dent in consumer confidence.

“That’s on top of the hit they’ve taken through lockdown, which has resulted in an estimated 30,000 at risk in Wales in the coming months.

“Customers choosing to use Eat Out to Help Out in independent businesses will be directing government support where it’s needed most – protecting jobs in local economies.”

“Bristol’s food community did an exceptional job of keeping the city fed during lockdown,” adds Aine Morris, founder of the Bristol Food Union.

“We hope that the public will now lend their support by using their discount with participating independents as much as possible.”

In the west of England 44,000 people are employed in the food and tourism industry, about 8% of the total workforce.

In Wales, restaurants, food service and accommodation employ around 100,000 people.