More than 150,000 'Went for a Rishi' in Northampton during August, saving £800,000

Northampton scoffed its way through 150,000 cheap meals and saved more than £800,000 during Eat Out to Help Out month.

Chancellor Rishi Sunek launched the scheme in a bid to kick-start the struggling hospitality industry after four months shut during lockdown.

Punters got up to £10 off meals three days a week which businesses could then claim back from the Government.

Results showed Northampton's diners saved more than a fiver a time at 193 eateries which signed up for the scheme.

But that was topped in Daventry where diners benefited from 56,000 cheaper meals, getting £373,000 in discounts — at an average of £6.67 each.

The 'Going for a Rishi' scheme was voted a hit by eaterie owners in the town and the manager of Balti Central in Mare Fair, Abdul Ali, said: "It generated interest and lots of people who don't normally come out to eat came out as well as people who normally do."

Many restaurants have extended the scheme into September without Government backing.

Figures were counted by parliamentary constituency, hence Northampton's 153,000 cheap meals were divided between Andrew Lewer's Northampton South and the Northampton North seat occupied by Michael Ellis.

In a statement, Mr Sunak said: "As the Eat Out to Help Out scheme draws to a close, I want to say thank you to the diners who have fallen back in love with their local, to the managers who have spent weeks ensuring their restaurants were safe and to the chefs, waiters and waitresses across the country who have worked tirelessly, sometimes with more customers than they've ever had before - all helping to protect 1.8 million jobs in the hospitality sector.

"The scheme reminded us why we as a nation love dining out and I urge diners to maintain the momentum to help continue our economic recovery."

Corby was third among the East Midlands in terms of number of meals claimed behind Boston & Skegness and Nottingham East with 204,000 diners saving £649,000 — yet the average discount of £3.18 was lowest in the region.

Wellingborough managed just 49,000 discounted meals saving £243,000 and Kettering 54,000 meals saving £329,000.

But there could be a price to pay for the cheap meals with Government debt now standing at around £2 trillion and rumours of tax hikes on the horizon.