A popular seaside café still feeling the pinch after the Covid lockdowns and a slow summer has been forced to slash its prices to avoid laying off staff.

Herne Bay's Makcari’s owners Nejmi and Hassan Hassan say they are “feeling the effects” of a “bad two years”, with takings shrinking by half.

Now, in an effort to boost trade at the long-running coffee house on the corner of William Street, they have launched their own version of the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

Diners visiting between 5pm and 8pm are being given 50% off their bills.

Hassan Hassan told KentOnline: “If there’s not enough work for our staff, then we’ll have to lay off two, three, four people. This way we can keep them on, keep the local economy going, and get people out.

“We’ve had a bad two years. Now we’re coming to winter, and we’re feeling the effects.

“This deal is to encourage people back out.

“Is there a profit in it? To be honest, not much, if anything; it’s about getting people in through the doors and encouraging them to come in when the offer isn’t on.”

Mr Hassan blames poor weather for a drop in visitor numbers to the town between June and September.

Meanwhile, he believes residents’ continued wariness of the pandemic has also contributed to the recent fall in trade.

“This summer we opened up, but it wasn’t great because people were reluctant to come out, plus the weather played a part because it was terrible, to be honest,” he continued.

“Through takings I can tell you visitor numbers have dropped by 50%.”

The half-off deal has already started and could last throughout the winter.

“This is coming off our own backs,” Hassan said. “The more people that use it, the longer we can keep it going on for.”