Foodies brought a huge boost to Sunderland’s economy during the city’s most recent Restaurant Week.
The event – which took place in March and saw food venues across Sunderland offer set menu deals for £5, £10 or £15 – had an economic impact of more than £196,000 – up £85,000 from the previous event in September.
Organised by Sunderland BID and supported by Station Taxis, more than 50 restaurants took part and more than 8,000 vouchers were downloaded over the course of the week (up from 4,500).
Owner and manager of Indian street food favourite Chilli Mangoes, Arif Ahmed, was thrilled to be among the most popular venues during the week.
“Restaurant Week was a massive hit and brought our brand to a new group of people,” he said. “People who didn’t even know where we were got to hear about us through the scheme and visited us for the first time. Everyone was having a laugh and enjoying the atmosphere, which is something we love to see.”
Sharon Appleby, chief executive of Sunderland BID, added: “It’s fantastic to be celebrating such a successful Restaurant Week, which has created a real buzz around the city’s food and drink scene. While this event is great fun for Sunderland foodies, it also brings in tens of thousands of pounds to the local economy, which is a huge boost for businesses across the area.”
The next Sunderland Restaurant Week will take place September 17-25. For more information visit www.sunderlandbid.co.uk
