Coronavirus: the positive hospitality industry moves

- Industry charity Hospitality Action has launched an emergency appeal​​ to support those in the sector affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The campaign hopes to help provide financial relief for hospitality workers impacted by the wide-ranging restaurant closures and staff layoffs currently being experienced across the industry, and is backed by many high-profile chefs including Tom Brown; Angela Hartnett; and the charity’s principal patron, Jason Atherton. Earlier this afternoon the charity announced the campaign had managed to raise £32,000 in its first 24 hours.

- London-based charity City Harvest, which works to collect nutritious surplus food from across the food industry including restaurants and wholesalers, is working to help chefs clear down their sites as they close, and then redistribute the food to those who need it. It is currently looking for more volunteers to help pack the surplus food and more details can be found on its website​​.

- More restaurants and cafes are giving away freebies or offering hefty discounts to NHS staff who are working on the frontline during this crisis. Wingstop announced on its social media channels that NHS workers are entitled to a free meal of wings, a regular side and a drink at either of its London sites; Leon, meanwhile, is offering NHS staff a 50% in all its stores, and will be hand delivering food to NHS staff based in community areas close to its restaurants in and around London.

- Brigade Bar + Kitchen in London and Wilson’s in Bristol are two restaurants  that are looking to help their communities by preparing meals to be eaten at home. Brigade says it is ‘offering a series of free healthy soups and stews for the more vulnerable and elderly, with delivery available to those with limited mobility'. Wilson’s is working to prepare meals for ‘those who need it most’ in its community, which can be collected from the restaurant to be consumed at home. People will not be charged for the meals, but Wilson’s is asking for a donation where possible towards its crowdfund​​ to keep the business buoyant while the restaurant is closed. 

- Alex Clayton, owner of Warwick-based Spanish restaurants Flamenco and Tasca Dali, has launched a service named Care Packages. Designed to particularly support the elderly and vulnerable who are being asked by the government to self-isolate for three months, the food packages will be available to order on Uber Eats from Monday, with free delivery available across Warwick. Additionally, vulnerable members of society can also sign up for their property to receive a weekly clean through the service, as well as get a free grocery shopping delivery.