Hartlepool dad and daughter dine out each day during Eat Out to Help Out scheme

Daniel Davies-Luke and daughter Luna, six, have eaten out on every day of the scheme, which offers 50% discount on food or non-alcoholic drinks up to a maximum of £10 for diner for every Monday to Wednesday in August.

While he estimates that they have spent between £200 and £250 on the meals, Daniel says the offer has allowed them to venture further afield, try new cuisines and spend quality time together.

Eating out is one of their favourite things to do as a family – alongside wife Madeleine, 40, an officer with Cleveland Police – and the scheme helped keep Luna entertained throughout the holidays while a number of activities remain off-limits due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Daniel, 35, said: “It wasn’t our intention in the slightest [to eat out every day] but it’s the summer holidays, and we need things to do.

"A lot of the traditional activities have gone away, and we love eating out anyway.

"We would probably have gone out once or twice a week during the holidays, but the scheme allowed us to go out more.”

Daniel, who works for Virgin Media in Stockton, and Luna have “eaten like kings” throughout the summer, making their way around Hartlepool’s food scene and taking trips to Edinburgh, Newcastle and York to test out some eateries there.

Apart from the occasional trip to McDonald’s and Yo Sushi, they have made a conscious effort to support independent businesses, with Hartlepool’s Big Bamboo – on Tower Street – a personal favourite.

Hailing his daughter as an “adventurous eater” and “social butterfly”, Daniel said the experience has been a great treat for Luna before she returns to Barnard Grove Primary School next month.

And while some may think the £200 bill is a bit high, the dad argued that the price tag would be the same for a range of other summer holiday activities and that the money goes towards boosting businesses who need the help.

In addition, they have saved the same as they spent.

Daniel continued: “It’s not just the restaurants that have been helped by this – other parts of the economy have benefitted from footfall too.

"It’s encouraged people to get out and I think it would be good to see [the scheme] continue, but I think it could be changed a bit.

"National chains don’t need the money as much as anybody else, personally I think it should be extended into September for independents, or places with less than three restaurants.

"They are the places that need the help.”

Eat Out to Help Out is currently due to finish on Monday, August 31, but The Federation of Small Businesses is among those calling for the Government to make an extension.

Chairman, Mike Cherry said more than 35million meals have been served across 50,000 premises reaping the rewards of the initiative – but that the sector still needs additional support going into the autumn.

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