Grosvenor offers rent reductions to fund Eat Out to Help Out extensions

Mayfair and Belgravia landlord Grosvenor has offered tenants reduced rent rates if they extend the Eat Out to Help Out scheme into September.

Participating tenants will continue to offer a 50% discount on food and soft drinks, up to the value of £10 from Mondays to Wednesdays.

Amelia Bright, executive director of the landlord's London estate, said: "EOTHO was a huge boost to the economy and gave people confidence in socialising again. But central London is not yet back on its feet.

"We're doing all we can to bring people back to the West End to enjoy its world-class retail, beautiful architecture and fantastic restaurants."

The extension recognises continued reduced footfall in central London as office workers and tourists prove slow to return to the capital.

Grosvenor said that restaurant transactions in mid-July in central London had been 80% lower than in January and that 60% of those who came to eat out in August would not have done so if it were not for the government-subsidised scheme.

Jamie Jones, operations director of the Mayfair Chippy added: "The Eat Out to Help Out scheme has had such a positive impact and has boosted food and beverage sales as planned. The West End is extremely quiet at present so we are so happy that Grosvenor will be continuing with their own version of the scheme to help restaurants, cafes and customers alike."

Yesterday the Treasury revealed that 64 million meals have been claimed through the Eat Out to Help Out scheme so far.