Hampshire businesses offering Christmas food specials urge people to support local
CHRISTMAS food and drink specials are a seasonal treat for many but this year businesses will be delivering festive foods after the city was placed into tier four restrictions.
Pubs and restaurants across Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant got the devastating news on Thursday that the areas would be put into tier three and they would be forced to close their doors and cancel orders and bookings with just two days notice. The areas were then placed under further tier four restrictions on Saturday.
Business owners are calling for people to carry on supporting local companies online directly and through third party delivery apps such as Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats.
George Purnell, who runs Koop + Kraft in Cowplain, said: ‘We are absolutely desperate and on our knees at the moment so we would love to see people support us this Christmas.
‘We have added our Christmas food menu items to our takeaway menu as well as our beers and cocktails so people can still enjoy them.
‘We want to thank everyone for their ongoing support and well wishes. It is exactly we what helped us survive this crazy year and this next set of restrictions.
Eloise Houghton started Fat Stacks Southsea last year through Instagram, Facebook and Deliveroo, after graduating from her business management with entrepreneurship course at the University of Portsmouth and saw her pancake business boom in popularity.
She secured a spot at Outside In, a food court in Middle Street, Portsmouth, alongside other businesses including Venezuelan takeaway Arepa2Go and Breeno’s Kitchen, which does Indian and Pakistani street food.
The food court has had to close its doors to diners to apply with the new tier restrictions but Eloise hopes residents will continue to support businesses in the food court through click and collect and delivery.
The 23-year-old said: ‘I love my business and being able to make pancakes day in and day out and make people happy with my food gives me so much satisfaction.
‘By supporting local businesses you’re giving real people from your area a chance to pursue their dreams and do what they love every single day which is a pretty amazing Christmas present.’
