Sunderland Restaurant Week hailed a success after boosting local economy by £196,000

The most-recent instalment of the initiative finished at the weekend after a whole host of venues across the city welcomed diners for a wide range of discount deals aimed at driving footfall to venues.

This year’s event was a huge hit, with an economic impact of more than £196,000 – up £85,000 from the previous event in September.

Organised by Sunderland BID and supported by Station Taxis, the event saw more than 50 restaurants sign up for the scheme, offering everything from international cuisine to sweet treats.

Nearly 8000 vouchers were downloaded over the course of the week, up from 4500 at the last event.

The BID has also revealed the dates for the next Sunderland Restaurant Week, which will take place later this year from 17 to 25 September.

Owner and manager of Indian street food favourites Chilli Mangoes, Arif Ahmed, was thrilled to be among one of the most popular venues throughout the week.

“Restaurant Week was a massive hit and brought our brand to a new group of people,” he said.

“People who didn’t even know where we were got to hear about us through the scheme and visited us for the first time.

“Everyone was having a laugh and enjoying the atmosphere, which is something we love to see.”

Sharon Appleby, Chief Executive at Sunderland BID, is delighted that diners threw their support behind local businesses.

“It’s fantastic to be celebrating such a successful Restaurant Week, which has created a real buzz around the city’s food and drink scene,” she said.

“We had some excellent venues taking part this year, with some really amazing deals on offer for diners to take advantage of.

“While this event is great fun for Sunderland foodies, it also brings in tens of thousands of pounds to the local economy which is a huge boost for businesses across the area.”

To take part in the scheme, diners download vouchers for either £5, £10 or £15 offers at the restaurant or cafe they wish to visit.