Hundreds of restaurants, cafes and pubs in Leeds set to slash bills by 50 per cent for August

It means that anyone visiting a participating restaurant, café or pub on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout August will receive the half price discount – saving customers money but also giving a vital boost to the UK’s hospitality sector.

More than 72,000 establishments, from big chains to family run independents, have signed up across the UK so far. That includes 3,962 across Yorkshire and the Humber and 500 in Leeds.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “Our Eat Out to Help Out scheme’s number one aim is to help protect the jobs of 1.8 million chefs, waiters and restaurateurs by boosting demand and getting customers through the door.

“More than 72,000 establishments will be serving discounted meals across the country, with the government paying half the bill. The industry is a vital ingredient to our economy and it’s been hit hard by coronavirus, so enjoy summer safely by showing your favourite places your support – we’ll pay half.”

The scheme will help protect the jobs of the hospitality industry’s 1.8m employees by encouraging people to safely return to their local restaurants, cafes and pubs where social-distancing rules allow.

In the LS1 postcode area, the retail and hospitality sector accounts for 51 per cent of business. Nationally, around 80 per cent of hospitality firms stopped trading in April, with 1.4m workers furloughed, the highest of any sector.

There has already been more than 3.3m hits on the Eat Out to Help Out restaurant finder since it launched last week, which shows what businesses are participating in local areas, and many restaurants have since seen a boost in bookings.

Indian street food restaurant, Mowgli is one of the newest openings in Leeds and has signed up to the scheme already.

Founder, Nisha Katona said: "We open despite the challenges of keeping afloat with half full restaurants, despite the fact our city centres are tentatively tumbleweed.

"We must save jobs and blow life safely back into our cities. We are full of enthusiasm and full of healthy homespun flavour. All of you who booked and came and do book and do come - thankyou - you are saving our high streets and the economy with it.

"It does our souls good to see you carefully out and about. Wishing our little Leeds happy days ahead."