Figures show how many meals were eaten in the Harborough area during the Eat Out to Help Out scheme - and how much money people saved

The Eat Out to Help Out scheme has been hailed a massive success across Harborough after discounts topping £500,000 were handed out.

Thousands of people turned out to take advantage of the Government initiative throughout August as the hospitality industry fights back amid the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

A stunning 80,000 cut-price meals were eaten in Harborough parliamentary constituency - which also includes neighbouring Oadby and Wigston.

Jarrod Burke, 24, who leads scores of independent shops in Market Harborough, said he was “delighted” as it emerged that discounts totalling £520,000 were claimed.

An impressive 84 pubs, restaurants, cafes and other outlets took part in the high-profile month-long initiative as it grabbed people’s imagination.

“Eat Out to Help Out went down really well in Market Harborough and across the whole district.

“Some businesses might have been slightly under-prepared at the beginning,” said Jarrod, chairman of the 70-strong Harbs Collective.

“But everyone I know totally got behind this scheme and it was so successful.

“I popped out at least 10 times myself for meals after being locked down for four or five months.

“It was wicked to get out again after so long and it was amazing to see that places were so busy.”

The outstanding young entrepreneur, who owns the popular Randalls American sweet shop on Market Harborough’s Church Square, said he hoped businesses will now get the discounts they paid out back quickly from the Government.

“Hotels, restaurants, cafes and others went for so long without taking any cash at all that they now need to be reimbursed as soon as possible.

“The Eat Out to Help Out campaign was brilliant as it helped to attract so many people back out into our town centres,” said Jarrod.

“Loads of people embraced it from the start and loved getting back out again.

“It was just the boost that so many businesses needed after being locked down since the end of March.

“And a lot of businessmen and women are now offering new incentives to keep the ball rolling.

“They are putting together both lunchtime and evening deals.

“But it’s not just about cutting prices and taking money off.

“A lot of outlets are now doing a takeaway service and offering home deliveries.

“It’s crucial that we all continue to generate new ideas and schemes for the rest of this year at least as the pandemic goes on.”

Jarrod said it’s also “critical” that businesses in Market Harborough, as well as the likes of Lutterworth, Kibworth and Broughton Astley, go on marching forward together.

“We talk all the time and regularly meet up because it is vital that we all unite to beat this unprecedented pandemic.

“It’s all about bringing people into our town centres.

“I’m doing all right but I know that footfall has inevitably gone down at a lot of shops,” he said.

“It’s not as if we can stage special events in our town centre to attract people out.

“So my colleagues are planning to put on more online events.

“We just have to keep the momentum going now.

“I’ve never worked harder and it’s the same for business people everywhere.

“We are working our socks off to survive and get through this.

“We are having to fight this crisis with one arm tied behind our back because we can still only allow so many customers in at one time and we still understandably have restrictions.

“But it’s all about putting a smile on our face and our best foot forward.

“People here are struggling but we would all like to say a big thank you to our loyal customers.

“They have really got behind us and been fantastic.

“And customers should be reassured that our independent shops are totally clean and safe – they have nothing to fear.

“I’d love to see Eat Out to Help Out repeated because it was such a success.

“But I realise that other sectors of the economy, such as the arts, desperately need support too.

“We’ll keep on fighting and battling to stay alive and do the best we can for the people of Market Harborough and beyond.”

Harborough MP Neil O’Brien is also calling on people to support local businesses.

Neil told the Mail: “I’m thrilled that Eat Out to Help Out drew so many people back out on to our high streets.

“It’s just the shot in the arm that our first-class hotels, restaurants and cafes needed and deserved.

“Now, while still imploring people to stay safe, I’d urge them to continue to shop locally and eat out locally to fire back up our economy across Harborough.”