Forlorn

Our stricken hospitality industry is probably the least able to recover after lockdown. In an effort to kick start it, starting yesterday, we have 13 opportunities in August to "eat out to help out". The UK government proposes to buy half our eat-in meals (Mondays to Wednesdays inclusive and up to £10 per person). It's costing the taxpayer £10bn. 

Wetherspoon reopened yesterday, all day, every day

A typical restaurant meal for two with starters-mains-deserts costing about £6-£14-£6 resulting in a £60 bill, including a glass each of inapplicable wine, would cost £40 under the scheme rather than £60. Can't be bad. Wetherspoon's advertises that it's now cheaper to eat with them than buy food from Tesco. Presumably, though, the food's better at Tesco (or at least you can pick from a range of qualities for the same type of product). The government's "eat out to help out" logo and branding as a certain Tesco flavour to it.But. There's always a but.

First, there aren't many places in which to enjoy your £10 bounty. And, for those who are visiting the area, that's a pity. Suddenly, since the last week of July, there appear more visitors than usual (although this does not compensate for a lack of locals). Greater visitor numbers probably isn't surprising, as foreign travel is dangerous and Rhuthun/Ruthin is presumably a low risk area. Just check the Ruthin Castle car park and you'll notice it's full in the evenings. 

So, getting your government subsidy isn't as easy as you might think. In town, your choice is Ruthin Castle at one end or Wetherspoon's at the extreme other. Plus Seven Oaks, which is inaccessible to tourists unless they know of it. We're sure that W & G Jones's café was part of the scheme but they aren't any longer. Costa claims to be in but that's difficult when it won't open till September. 

There's a wider problem though, and that's the reduction in eating places generally, whether for locals or visitors.

Neither On the Hill nor sister Small Plates has reopened. The Myddelton Grill is also closed. The Manor House is available for residents only, so won't accept walk-ins. Neither the Boar's Head, Park Place nor Feathers served food. That leaves the Panda Garden or Ocean Pearl and a range of takeaways or Bertie's at the Ruthin Castle.

As for cafés, we have far fewer of them. Gone are Crown House, the one that was in the current Naturally Ethical unit, the Coffee Mill and Siop Nain.

Presumably, Costa and Chatwin's between them have put paid to others. But Costa is shut (in spite of advertising that it's part of the eat out to help out scheme) and the best Chatwin's can offer is a takeaway. Caffi Rh/Café R remains closed, as does Gail's. The Coffee Cabin serves takeaways only. The Candy Shack isn't really a café unless you're prepared to sit with pre-teens which, let's face it, not only seems odd, it's just embarrassing. 

That leaves Seven Oaks which, for visitors, is probably a step too far, even if they know of it. Then there's Bar Llaeth, which isn't part of the half price scheme, or W & G Jones, Station Road. W & G Jones has looked rather forlorn since it reopened on Monday. You can often see staff sat in the window just waiting for something to happen but very little actually does.