Partner Article

Diners bring their own to beat the downturn

Diners in the North East are beating the crunch by taking their own booze when they eat out. Unlicensed restaurants in the region are seeing a rise in trade as people make the most of bringing their own bottles of wine and beer.

It can mean big savings on the price of a meal, with some eateries not even charging corkage for each bottle brought.

The La Gabbia Italian restaurant in Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle, has seen a big increase in diners taking advantage of a cut-price night out.

General manager Simon Taylor said: “We’re seeing a steady rise in customers as our reputation for quality food at reasonable prices spreads.

“The mark-up on wine particularly can be enormous and I think our customers appreciate the fact that they can bring their own, with no corkage charge, and enjoy their meals without paying over the odds for accompanying wine.

Similar establishments have also been boosted by their bottle policy. Sky Apple vegetarian restaurant, in Heaton Road, Newcastle, welcomes customers with their own booze in the evening.

Joint owner Paul Hope said: “It’s definitely gives us an advantage over licensed places as it does cut the bill.”

Nearby Indian restaurant Khan’s is another popular restaurant employing the same scheme.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .