Canal-side Northamptonshire village pub extends Eat Out to Help Out offer for at least another month

Another pub in a Northamptonshire village has decided to extend the scheme whereby customers receive up to £10 when they eat.

The Narrow Boat, on the Grand Union Canal just outside Weedon Bec, will keep Eat Out to Help Out running for at least another month, despite the Government no longer funding the scheme.

After what has been described as a ‘phenomenal’ August, bosses Richard and Karen Bray, want to extend the offer in order to compete with national chains that will be doing the same.

Richard said: “It’s been quite phenomenal throughout August.

"The public has been so supportive, we’ve seen a lot of new customers and returning ones, so we’re so grateful to them all.

"We've been really busy, so we've had to put on more staff Monday to Wednesday, which is good to get people back to work and we've been able to have them on flexi-furlough.

"The Government help has been great and we couldn't have asked for more.

"We have decided to extend the offer and we’re going to see how it goes and how it is supported.

“Giving that amount away off our own back will be a balancing act and it’s challenging times, but we do believe we can rise to it and Monday and Tuesday bookings are looking good.

“As an independent, we’ve really had to do it as if we didn’t we could have been left in a scenario where people’s budgets are tight, they’re going back to work and school and we could be overlooked as people look to bigger chains."

The pub has Covid-secure measures in place, such as screens between tables and around the bar, which have led customers to comment that they ‘felt safe’.

Outside space is also a huge advantage for the pub, as Richard hopes for a warm September so customers can side outdoors if they wish to.

For now, the offer for 50 percent off soft drinks and food up to £10 per person from Monday to Wednesday has been extended for the whole of next month.

However, Richard says it is ‘September to start with’ and they will ‘see how it goes’ with potential to extend further into the Autumn.

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you