Spain’s Hospitality Industry Watches How Belgium Swaps ‘Happy Hour’ for ‘Helpy Hour’ to Avoid Going Under

Spain’s hospitality industry will be watching Belgium’s ‘helpy hour’ initiative with much interest, as the country opens the doors to its bars, cafes and restaurants from Monday June 8.

‘HELPY hour’ – which replaces happy hour – was launched by Belgium’s Federation of Cafes to help stop its hospitality establishments from going under. So instead of getting two drinks for one – as is the case in ‘happy hour’ – ‘helpy hour’ allows punters to pay double for a drink, which is basically the reverse of happy hour. The initiative has been launched to save struggling bar and cafes amid the lockdown.

According to Diane Delen, President of the Federation of Cafes, “helpy hour is a temporary measure that will help to avoid an avalanche of bankruptcies,” in the hospitality industry. She believes most customers will be happy to cough up “double for a drink”, knowing “it’s just a temporary measure, and happy hour will be returned”. Unlike happy hour though, the customer decides when it’s helpy hour. You just tell the bartender, “hey pal it’s helpy hour, and pay double”.

Bar owners in Spain will be watching carefully to see whether the initiative takes off in Germany, and whether it can realistically save Spain’s hospitality establishments that are practically on the verge of collapse as a result of the lockdown.

Would you save your local bar/cafe through helpy hour? Let us know in the comment box below.