Restaurants see record demand for takeaways for Tier 4 New Year's Eve
Chefs at Namaste Village Indian restaurant on Queens Road, Norwich, preparing meals for NHS frontline workers. Picture: Namaste Village - Credit: Namaste Village
Demand from housebound New Year revellers left restaurants in Norfolk struggling to meet demand for takeaways.
Several eateries were forced to stop taking orders early in the evening or reported delays in delivering takeaway meals.
New Year’s Eve is usually one of the busiest nights for the year for restaurants, pubs and hotels across the region. But with revellers not able to dine out much of the demand transferred to dialing out for take out meals.
The Bird in Hand in Wreningham launched a pre-order service three days prior to New Year’s Eve. - Credit: Bird in Hand
Tier 4 restrictions mean hospitality venues have to stay closed but can provide food and drink takeaways until 11pm, either click-and-collect or for delivery.
The Bird in Hand in Wreningham said people partying at home had seen them experience a record breaking night.
Alex and Lizzie Brake said The Bird in Hand in Wreningham saw record takeaway orders to New Year’s Eve. - Credit: Archant
Co-owner Alex Brake said: “It was massive. We did 230 meals which is a record for takeaways for us. It looks like people splashed out and had their own parties at home which was really good for us.
The Bird in Hand pub at Wreningham. Picture: Simon Parker - Credit: Archant
“We thought it might be busy so we launched a pre-order service three days prior to New Year’s Eve and we were fully booked by December 30.”
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The Rishi Indian restaurant on Mousehold Lane in Norwich had to stop taking orders from 6pm, while Namaste Village on Queen’s Road was also inundated and decided to open at lunchtime too because of "unprecedented demand".
Namaste owner Vijay Jetani said it had been four times as busy as usual for takeaways.
The Black Boys Hotel in Aylsham, which had been offering New Year’s specials including luxury beef wellington for two, said it had also been overwhelmed by orders for its NYE takeaway service.
“We tried our best to accommodate as many of you as possible, in doing this it meant some people had to wait longer than we’d like. Huge apologies if this happened to you and we hope it didn’t affect your evening,” they said in a post on Facebook. “Thank you for your patience and continued support. It has been truly amazing.”
