Produced in Kent – Be a #caringcustomer and Support Your Local

Produced in Kent, the voice of Kent food and drink, and Visit Kent, the destination management organisation for Kent, have joined forces to urge consumers to actively support their local pub, restaurant and food tourism attractions and sign up to the #CaringCustomer pledge.  

The joint campaign dubbed “Support Your Local” aims to engage the support of the general public to help hospitality and leisure businesses, which have been among the last establishments to open up with the easing of restrictions and now face an uncertain future.

The campaign encourages consumers county-wide to show their love for their favourite Kent food and drink businesses – and show their care for staff and fellow diners too!   The general public can make a Caring Customer Pledge to Kent’s local restaurants, pubs, cafes and hotels. In doing so, patrons will be pledging their commitment to Respect, Protect and Enjoy establishments as each one adapts to post-lockdown circumstances. Caring Customers can proudly display the #CaringCustomer badge on their social media and are actively encouraged to share their experiences on social media and leave online reviews, using #CaringCustomer.

Further details about taking part in the Caring Customer Pledge, as well as an interactive map showing local suppliers and other useful information associated with the Support Your Local scheme, can be found on the HelpKentBuyLocal.co.uk website.

It is hoped that this initiative, which will run from July to December 2020, will provide a much-needed boost to Kent’s £2.6 billion visitor economy, which has been badly hit since the pandemic.

When lockdown commenced in March due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, operations in the hospitality industry all but ceased. Most had to stop trading altogether, furloughed all staff and sold off or donated their perishables. The financial consequences are, unfortunately, already evident, with some establishments having been boarded up and closed permanently. Fears continue to grow that, if the sector fails on a grand scale, it could affect tourism, as well as the food and drink suppliers to these businesses, for years to come.

By joining up to Produced in Kent and Visit Kent’s project, caring customers will not only be providing financial help to struggling food and drink venues, but also showing them that they are a staple of the community. That without them, the community wouldn’t be the same. Now more than ever, these enterprises are deserving of celebration as they strive to accommodate the demands of our changing times. Balancing stringent health and safety measures with customers’ enjoyment will, undoubtedly, prove to be challenging, but with the help of loyal patrons, they are guaranteed to rise to the occasion.

#CaringCustomer Pledge

• I will book my table in advance and I am happy to pay a deposit if they ask
• I will give them plenty of notice if I wish to cancel or amend a booking
• I will tell them in advance if I have any special dietary requirements
• I understand that this is a difficult time for many businesses, and I will be patient and considerate

• I will cancel my booking if anyone in my party and/or household shows signs of having Covid-19
• I will follow the Government social distancing guidelines on my way to, and during my time at, the venue
• I am happy to provide the business with my contact details in advance
• I will follow any safety procedure I am asked to
• I will respect the other visitors

And lastly…

• I am proud to support Kent’s fabulous food and drink offering!
• I will share my experience with others on social media to help promote them
• I will leave a review online
• If I have any concerns about their safety protocol, I will speak to the person in charge, rather than leaving a negative review