A BAR owner is trying his best to be the cheapest joint out – by selling meals for just £1.
Brett Smith runs a wine bar in a waterfront North East Lincolnshire town and made the call to sell food on the cheap to help locals navigating the cost-of-living crisis.
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The owner of Folk, in Cleethorpes, says he hopes it will not only allow locals to breathe a sign of relief, but also “future proof” his business.
Brett said the bar‘s chefs have made up a heap of different plates of meats and cheese for customers to choose from – allowing them to eat as much or as little as they like.
And staff will be plating up a range of different sized dishes for £1 in the hopes of bringing more people through the door to help the business through the quieter period.
Brett said: “With this idea, we’re trying to help ourselves as well as the customers.
“If we make it affordable, it keeps our staff in a job and it also makes a night out affordable for people.
“Now more so than ever, that’s really important. People are going back to worrying about their bills and heating, with Christmas and New Year having masked some people’s concerns.”
The bar owner said that he also needed to work out how he could protect his and his staff’s families, too.
Brett said: “With less money in people’s pockets and less footfall naturally in January too, we had to think about how we could keep people coming to the door, but allow them to control what they’re spending a bit more.
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“People still need to do something like go out for a meal for the sake of their mental health if nothing else. People should be able to go out and enjoy themselves without feeling guilty about what they’ve spent the next day.”
At Folk people can spend just £1 and choose from three different plates, designed by local artist Sophie Olivant Ceramics, with various kinds of cheese and meats.
Brett continued: “We try to future proof every day and every decision has to help us with that.
“Now more than ever, we’re having to look at how we can protect the business and, since Covid, the world seems to be struggling more than ever.
“Now, how we keep going is at the forefront of my mind more than it ever has been. I think ideas like this help to keep us going, though, and also help others to enjoy themselves without breaking the bank.”
Brett’s idea comes not long after a landlord opened up about their attempts to be Britain’s cheapest pub – selling beers for just £1.70.
