A HELENSBURGH restaurateur has praised the UK Government’s Eat Out to Help Out discount scheme for offering a “lifeline” to her three local businesses.

Cara Nikolic, who, along with husband Milan, owns La Barca, Cattle & Creel and Padrone Pizzeria, said the initiative has provided a much-needed boost to the hospitality sector after lockdown dealt a crippling blow to many in the industry.

The Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which officially came to an end on Monday, August 31, allowed diners 50 per cent off the total cost of meals, up to a maximum of £10 per person, every Monday-Wednesday during last month.

The UK Government picked up part of the tab for more than 64 million meals in the first three weeks of the offer, according to Treasury figures, while Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the scheme had protected nearly two million jobs.

Such was the success of the scheme, Cara has decided to extend a variation of the offer throughout September.

READ MORE: Which Helensburgh and Lomond restaurants extended 'Eat Out' discount scheme?

She said: “It’s been a fantastic initiative and a real lifeline for us.

“Footfall was up between 30 and 60 per cent across the three restaurants on the same weeks last year and by the end of the scheme we were fully booked every day and night.

“It meant we were able to get 42 staff off furlough and back to work and we even took on extra part-time staff because we were so busy.”

Her West Clyde Street restaurants are now continuing with their own 25 per cent discount offer after bookings when the scheme ended this week had “fallen off a cliff”.

Cara said: “The bookings literally disappeared overnight so we decided to continue with 25 per cent off food and soft drinks up to £10 per person, Monday to Wednesday, as a thank you to customers for their support and to help safeguard jobs.

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“The next three months can be quiet anyway so if we get enough customers through the doors to pay the bills and wages then we are doing well.

“The initial response to our new offer has been great and we are extremely grateful to the customers who continue to support us through these tricky times.”

David Davidson, landlord at The Cardross Inn, also praised the initiative after announcing his establishment, in the village’s Main Road, would continue to offer discounts at the pub’s own expense.

He said: “It has spurred people on to come out again, I wouldn’t say it has given people confidence, but everyone likes an offer.

“Once they have visited they then get the confidence to come back.

“We want to keep people visiting and keep the momentum going because hospitality is in for a real difficult winter.”

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