Supporting a favourite local restaurant

The Coronavirus pandemic is having a major impact around the world. We have seen nothing like it before and governments are putting in place measures akin to those taken in war time. Everyone who can is working from home, trains are running near-empty, supermarket shelves are empty, a large proportion of flights have been cancelled, and so on.

The effect on local businesses is crippling, especially in the hospitality industry. The Prime Minister stands at the podium and tells us not to go to bars, clubs and retsuarants. For now, however, the government has not instructed those business to close — so they're open but with no customers. That means they can't claim on their insurance because they're open. A friend runs holiday cottages in Cornwall; her husband is a freelance sports reporter. With holidays and sporting events cancelled they're both well and truly stuffed.

No business can survive this kind of pressure.

Unless you're Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, you can't save those businesses. Nor can I … but we might be able to help.

There are several local businesses that I'd really miss if they were to disappear. You'll have your own list but mine includes a favourite restaurant in Hadleigh, Tito's Ristorante, Italiano & Pizzeria. In an effort to help I've effectively paid for our next visit already by buying a voucher.

You might want to do the same to help your local favourite - they'll more than appreciate it. Now, more than ever, is the time to support businesses that matter to you.