NE1’s Newcastle Restaurant Week is back…

When the 7^th NE1’s Restaurant Week gets underway in Newcastle on the 27 January, there will be a 360% increase in the number of restaurants taking part since the event was first launched in 2011. From 27 January – 2 February inclusive, over 60 of the city’s finest restaurants will take part in Restaurant Week which offers diners the opportunity to ‘discover’ new restaurants across the city for fixed priced menus of either £10 or £15 per head. Newcastle has a vibrant restaurant scene with more restaurants per square mile than anywhere else in the North East of England.  To turn the spotlight on the industry and to drive trade at traditionally quite times of the year, in 2011, NE1 Ltd got together with some of the city's top restaurateurs to discuss what could be done and the Restaurant Week idea was born, modelled on a similar scheme that operates in New York City.  All the city's top restaurateurs saw the potential and were prepared to put aside their competitive rivalries to work together for the good of the industry. 13 of the Newcastle’s top restaurants were involved in the first event, now 3 years later, over 60 restaurants take part and the weeks, one in January, the other in August, the event a firm fixture in the city’s events calendar with over 60% of Restaurant Week customers visiting 2 or more restaurants during the week with some dining out 7 nights during the week. For a full list of participating restaurants and offers, visit www.getintonewcastle.co.uk/restaurant-week NE1’s Restaurant Week is a unique formula, nowhere else in the UK operates an event like Newcastle, which is so simple and easy to communicate to consumers as well as being easily adopted by the restaurants.  The event has grown in stature and popularity since its launch with participating businesses experiencing a 43% increase in trade during the week. Key statistics from the 1st Restaurant Week

• 13 restaurants took part
• Average increase in business: 37.53%
• Web visits: 37,850
• Vouchers redeemed: 4,822

Key statistics from the last Newcastle Restaurant Week in August 2013

• 51 restaurants took part (292% increase since launch)
• Average increase in business: 43%
• Web visits: 88,251 (133% increase since launch)
• Vouchers redeemed: 18,382 (281% increase since launch)

Sean Bullick, Chief Executive of NE1 Ltd said: “Newcastle has a vibrant restaurant scene, hosting events like NE1’s Restaurant Week adds extra vibrancy to the city and helps increase business for these restaurants at traditionally quite times of the year.  By working together the restaurant industry has helped grow the market and stimulate trade.” Terry Laybourne, 21 Hospitality Group: “NE1 galvanised the city’s restaurateurs.  No individual, or business could have delivered the initiative on their own, not only would it have been too time consuming to organise but they would not have had the marketing clout or budget to invest in making it happen.   NE1 brought all this to the table and was able to encourage businesses to put aside their competitive differences and work together to deliver Restaurant Week.  The results speak for themselves, over 60 of the city’s top restaurants now participate in the event, experiencing an average 43% increase in sales.  As well as the tangible commercial benefit for the participating restaurants, it creates an incredible buzz in the city centre and its restaurants during what were the quietest times of the year. Blackfriars Restaurant, voted Taste of England at the North East England Tourism Awards this year, has been involved in NE1’s Newcastle Restaurant Week from the beginning.  Commenting on the success of Newcastle Restaurant Week, owner Andy Hook explained: “NE1 has hugely supported and raised the profile of the city’s vibrant restaurant scene with Newcastle Restaurant Week and has encouraged new visitors to try my restaurant, Blackfriars.  A whole new group of ‘regulars’ have been spawned by previous Restaurant Weeks and we are confident that January will be no exception.”