Two Transdev bus operators in Yorkshire – The Harrogate Bus Company and Coastliner – offered free journeys during the month of August to boost the evening economy in Harrogate and York as businesses join the government-backed ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ promotion.
More than 100 restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs in Harrogate district have signed up to the scheme, with 66 taking part in Harrogate itself – including the iconic Betty’s Café Tea Rooms on Parliament Street.
Meanwhile in York, over 100 restaurants, cafes and pubs in York are joining in – among them the historic 15th Century Black Swan Inn on Peasholme Green, just a few steps from the nearest Coastliner bus stop.
The UK government is financially supporting hospitality businesses who join in with the promotion, which offers 50% off food and non-alcoholic drinks on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday throughout August. Customers can get a maximum of £10 off food and drinks when they dine or drink in with no minimum spend, and the discount can be used in conjunction with other promotions.
In a further boost to the scheme, The Harrogate Bus Company and Coastliner are both offering free one-way tickets for use on their buses after 6pm on the three ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ evenings each week in August via its Transdev Go mobile app, to encourage more people to support locally owned food and drinks venues.
Our buses play a vitally important role in Harrogate’s economy, and we wanted to do everything possible to make ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ a success for local hospitality businesses who’ve been through an unprecedented time during lockdown.
Our previous ‘Sunday Freeway’ free travel promotions did a lot to boost Harrogate’s Sunday economy. We hope this new and exciting offer will give hospitality businesses every chance to make the most of this opportunity to bring customers into our town, while protecting our local environment.
Another Transdev colleague, Coastliner General Manager Ben Mansfield said: “All our customers need to do to get a free evening one-way journey ticket for any date when the scheme is running until is to request one by email to [email protected]. We’ll then send a free single ticket to the customer’s mobile device using our Transdev Go app – adding up to a handy 50 per cent discount on travel compared with two single fares, to match the half price food and drinks offer.”
Transdev’s free travel promotion is being offered as part of its ‘Back to Bus’ campaign to promote the benefits of going by bus now that travel restrictions have eased locally and across the United Kingdom.
As an operator and global integrator of mobility, Transdev – The mobility company – gives people the freedom to move whenever and however they choose. We are proud to provide 11 million passenger trips everyday thanks to efficient, easy to use and environmentally-friendly transportation services that connect people and communities. Our approach is rooted in long-term partnerships with businesses and public authorities, and in the relentless pursuit of the safest and most innovative mobility solutions. We are a team of people serving people, and mobility is what we do. Transdev is jointly held by Caisse des Dépôts Group (66%) and the RETHMANN Group (34%). In 2019, with 85,000 employees in 18 countries, the Group generated total revenues of 7.4 billion euros
For more information: www.transdev.com or download the MY Transdev app from the App Store or Google Play.