As bars and restaurants are reopening following two and a half months of closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, Belgian beer lovers are being urged to join “Helpy Hour” and buy one drink for the price of two in support of their favourite locals.
Happiness, an FCB Alliance, have teamed with the federation of Belgian cafes to change Happy Hour into Helpy Hour in Belgium, a country whose beer culture is on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage of humanity list.
Bars and restaurants in Belgium have been allowed to reopen under strict conditions and Diane Delen, the federation’s president, said the draconian measures will reduce attendance in bars by at least two thirds.
She told The Associated Press that the “helpy hour” initiative will help bar owners bearing the shock of the economic crisis triggered by the virus. “I don’t think the Belgians will be happy to see their beloved cafes disappear,” she said. “It’s a temporary measure that will help avoid an avalanche of bankruptcies. And once everything is back to normal, clients will be satisfied because happy hours will return.”
According to the federation, half of Belgium’s 12,000 cafes may not survive the coronavirus crisis. The Helpy Hour concept launched last week and has been picked up and discussed in publications worldwide.
