A TOWN centre restaurant and bar, which was set to stay shut due to coronavirus restrictions, has embarked on a plan to stay open back on track. 

Vigour on Bridge Street, St Helens announced on its social media pages Friday, October 9 that it was closing.

Owners said they felt for the time being it was “the only sustainable option to safeguard the business moving forward”.

However, after realising the limited funding options available, they reopened from Sunday, November 1 with a Eat Out to Drink Out initiative, aiming to get more people through the doors. 

Scott Anderson, one of the co-owners, said: “It’s been a struggle for the entire hospitality industry during the pandemic and as time has gone on and restrictions have got stronger, people are less likely to go out for food. It suffocated us really.

“We felt we had no other option but to close, but the funding needed to keep us afloat is such a struggle to get, so we decided to try again and came up with the idea of offering a Eat Out to Drink Out scheme, inspired by the Eat Out to Help Out that took place in September.

“The idea is that people have bottomless drinks if they order five small plates at Vigour for £35 from 5pm-8pm or pay £16 for a roast and bottomless drinks on a Sunday all day.

“That includes alcoholic drinks and soft drinks.

“Places just have to get creative now to get through this really.

“We hope people will come and support us as we are doing all we can to keep you safe in Vigour.”