Hundreds queue for free takeaway meals at Edinburgh New Town bistro which is 'happy protesting' over Scottish Government grant

Chez Jules Bistro in Hanover Street is offering several cooked main course dishes, from steak and chips and seabass with aioli to Coq au vin and mashed potato, until 9pm tonight.

Pictures taken this afternoon show a huge queue of people in the street and around the corner into Thistle Street, with staff handing out the free bags of food from a window.

Bistro owner Pierre Levicky says it coincides with the opening of their takeaway service and that the “1,046 free meals” concept represents a socially distanced queue of people that would cover the 2,092 metres between their business and the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Levicky says the rateable property value of his business is too high to qualify for the £25,000 Scottish Government grant available to small businesses whose rateable value falls between £18,001 and £51,000.

He said: “The idea is to point out to the Scottish Government that their distribution of the grant has not been done fairly. Our rates are too high and our profits are deemed too high but when we have 31 employees and have rents to pay, it’s more difficult. I have tried to appeal but we were knocked back. Frankly, it’s unfair and we thought we’d do something fun to see if it gets some publicity.

“There’s a huge queue outside and it’s going all the way down Thistle Street, and we’ve got an accordionist playing outside too as the place has been a bit dire recently. We have redesigned our menu to do a proper takeaway from today and we will be open 12pm-9pm and will do breakfasts after 9am on Wednesdays.”

Mr Levicky said, as of about 3pm, they had handed out about 600 meals but he thinks they may have enough food for up to 1,300 today.

A 'free food day' menu outside the bistro lists dishes including French onion soup, steak with peppercorn sauce and fries, seabass with aioli and Coq au vin with mashed potatoes. Dishes come served with free salad and French dressing, olives, pate and bread and butter which they started placing into individual pots on Thursday.

Another sign outside reads: "1,046 Free delicious meal as a happy protest for not getting any grant from the Scottish Government."

A Facebook post from Chez Jules says the free food is being offered on Monday, June 15th until 9pm.

The post says they intend to serve 1,046 free meals today, although this is being limited to four per person.

The Chez Jules bistro has been running in Hanover Street for about 12 years.