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There hasn’t been a time in living memory when NHS staff have been under such critical pressure, or working in such potentially hazardous conditions. As a city we’re overwhelmingly grateful to everyone who makes up our health service – and more and more London cafés and restaurants are finding ways to thank them.
At Pret all hot drinks are on the house for NHS workers, who’ll also get everything else half price. Paul Bakery is also offering free takeaway tea and coffee for NHS workers at all its branches. Clapton Thai street food pop-up Krapow is running a similar brilliant initiative – show staff your NHS badge and they’ll take 50 percent off your bill, including booze. Shoreditch Grind, Exmouth Market Grind and Greenwich Grind are also serving free takeaway coffee to all NHS workers, and Quartieri in Kilburn will make your pizza half-price if you’re employed by the health service.
In Tottenham, famous Ghanaian bakery Uncle John’s is offering NHS staff a free loaf from any of its ranges (the sweet bread stays fresh for 14 days) from today onwards in its store on West Green Road. It’s also planning to supply food boxes to local councils to give to care homes – get in touch if you’d like to arrange a drop-off. And in Fulham, The Prince on Lillie Road is keeping its five food traders, which include Patty & Bun and Nonna Tonda, open for delivery and collection – and if you work for the emergency services, the latter will give you a slice of pizza on the house. Another of The Prince’s traders, Wildcard, is offering 100 free meals per day to NHS and emergency services workers.
Elsewhere, Berber & Q founders Josh Katz and Mattia Bianchi have launched a fundraiser for NHS workers – all money raised will go towards supplies and staff needed to cook and deliver food to hospital workers around London. Yard Sale is offering discounts for NHS workers too – 50 percent off collected orders and 25 percent off if you get it delivered. The pizza pros are also doing free pizza deliveries to local hospitals including Whipps, Homerton and Royal London.
London businesses are also reaching out to the city’s elderly and vulnerable residents. Brigade Bar + Kitchen in London Bridge will be giving out 500 freshly cooked meals every day to members of the local community. Restaurants and takeaways belonging to the British Bangladeshi Caterers Association will be providing elderly Londoners in self-isolation with a meal from one of its member restaurants, including doorstep delivery if they have nobody to collect it for them. Click here to find out more.
For those with cooking facilities and the time and capacity to make use of them right now, Michelin-starred A. Wong is donating boxes of fresh ingredients for Sichuan-style aubergine and singapore noodles to hospitality workers and vulnerable Londoners. If that’s you or you know someone who needs one, check out the restaurant’s Instagram for more info.
Keep up to date with all the latest Covid-19 news and advice in London.
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