Live Q&A: Will eating out really help out?

More than 70,000 UK restaurants and pubs have signed up to the government’s Eat out to Help Out scheme but how much of a difference will it make to the crisis-hit hospitality industry?

Starting this week, customers who eat in at participating businesses can receive a 50 per cent discount on meals and soft drinks every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in August, worth a maximum of £10 per person.

Big chains and independent traders will be taking part, and HM Revenue & Customs promises to credit discounts back to businesses within five working days.

However, the launch comes at a time when many business owners fear lockdown restrictions could be tightened as the UK attempts to contain further outbreaks of coronavirus.

Whether you work in the hospitality industry or are a consumer considering using the scheme, the FT would like to hear your views. 

Claer Barrett, the FT’s personal finance editor, will be live taking questions about the latest measures from readers with Andy Bounds, the FT’s enterprise editor, at 12 noon UK time on Tuesday August 4.

The accommodation and food services sector has been hit hard by the pandemic, with data from the Treasury showing that 1.6m workers have been furloughed at a cost of more than £4bn.

Almost 90 per cent of employers in this sector have made a claim via the government’s job retention scheme but, from August, bosses must start contributing towards the cost. Will tempting customers back with cut-price meals make enough of a difference as higher costs start to bite?

If you have a question to ask or a point to make, please leave a comment below and return to this page at 12 noon on Tuesday to watch the live stream, which will be embedded into the story.

You can also watch the video and comment live on the FT’s YouTube channel and LinkedIn page.