英國實施半價就餐優惠計劃 餐飲零售客流增加

英國政府在逐步解除疫情封鎖後，在上週推出半價就餐優惠計劃，以促進餐飲業恢復。這一計劃還引發了商業街和購物中心的客流激增，促進了零售業的發展。

The UK government’s eat out to help out scheme triggered a surge in the number of people visiting high streets and shopping malls last week, especially during the evenings.

上週，英國政府推出的“外出就餐幫助他人”計劃引發了商業街和購物中心的客流激增，尤其是在晚上。

Between Monday and Wednesday – the first days of the half-price meal offer – footfall rose 18.9% after 6pm across the UK’s high streets, shopping centres and retail parks, according to the retail analysts Springboard. The scheme also boosted visitor numbers between 12pm and 2pm, when they rose 9.6%.

根據零售業分析公司Springboard的數據，從上週一（8月3日）到上週三，也就是半價就餐優惠計劃推出的前幾天，下午6點後，英國各大商業街、購物中心和商業區的客流量增加了18.9%。該計劃還使中午12點至下午2點的客流量增加了9.6%。

retail park：（郊外有停車場的）商業區

Smaller market towns benefited the most, with footfall up 25% over the first three days of last week, while regional cities recorded a 19.2% gain.

較小的集鎮受益最大，上週一到上週三客流量增加了25%，而區域性城市的客流量則增加了19.2%。

Over last week as a whole, visitor numbers at high streets, malls and retail parks rose 3.8% from the week before. High streets did best, with footfall up 4.5%.

上週，商業街、購物中心和商業區的客流量比之前一週增加了3.8%。商業街的表現最好，客流量增長了4.5%。

The figures suggest the scheme, which was launched by Rishi Sunak to help the struggling restaurant sector, has also benefited retailers, which have been equally hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

這些數字表明，該計劃也讓同樣受到新冠疫情沉重打擊的零售業受益。該計劃由英國財政大臣裏希·蘇納克發起，旨在幫助陷入困境的餐飲業。

The chancellor’s initiative offers a 50% discount, up to £10 per person, at participating venues during the month of August between Monday and Wednesday, typically the quietest days of the week. It got off to a roaring start last week, when queues formed outside many restaurants and cafes all over the UK. More than 72,000 establishments have signed up to the £500m scheme, ranging from independents to mainstream chains and Michelin-starred restaurants.

根據英國財政大臣的提議，在8月份的每週一至週三（通常是一週中最冷清的日子），顧客在參加活動的商家可享受五折優惠，每人最多優惠10英鎊（約合人民幣91元）。上週，英國各地的許多餐館和咖啡館外都排起了長隊，掀起了一場狂歡。超過7.2萬商家參與了這項價值5億英鎊的計劃，其中既有獨立餐廳，也有主流連鎖餐廳和米其林星級餐廳。

It is a much-needed boost for pubs, bars and restaurants as consumers had been slow to return after they were allowed to reopen in early July. All shops in England were able to reopen from mid-June after a three-month lockdown. This triggered a 45% surge in shopper numbers in the week starting 15 June on the previous week, according to Springboard, but footfall rises have been far more subdued since then.

酒館、酒吧和餐館急需這樣的提振舉措，因爲在7月初商家獲准重新開業後，客流量一直很低。在三個月的封鎖過後，英格蘭所有的商店都被獲准自6月中旬重新開門營業。根據Springboard的數據，這導致從6月15日開始的一週內，客流量較前一週激增了45%，但此後客流量的增幅就小得多了。

subdue[səbˈdjuː]：vt.抑制；減輕

Footfall across all UK retail destinations remains more than a third lower than in 2019, with a year-on-year decline of 34% last week.

與2019年相比，英國所有零售店的客流量仍下降了三分之一以上，上週則同比下降了34%。

While footfall indicates the number of people going to malls and high streets and does not measure their spending, the latest figures bode well for sales at shop chains. UK retail sales jumped 13.9% in June from May, according to official data, taking them close to pre-lockdown levels.

雖然客流量顯示的是去購物中心和商業街的人數，而並不反應顧客的支出，但最新數據對連鎖店的銷售是個好兆頭。根據官方數據，英國6月份的零售額比5月份增長了13.9%，接近封鎖前的水平。

bode well for：預示有好的前途；好兆頭

Diane Wehrle, the insights director at Springboard, said: “It is clear that it was the post-6pm period that yielded the greatest rise in footfall and also that smaller towns benefited more than large city centres. As the scheme continues throughout August and more Britons enjoy staycations across the UK, time will tell if the government scheme provides the boost that retail destinations across the country require for business survival.”

Springboard的業務觀察總監黛安•韋勒說：“顯然，下午6點後這段時間客流量的增幅最大，而且較小的城鎮比大型城市中心受益更多。”隨着該計劃在整個8月份的實施，以及越來越多的英國人喜歡在英國各地度假，政府這一計劃能否爲英國零售店的商業生存提供所需的推動力，將由時間來證明。