A fish and chip shop has been besieged by customers after offering a one-pound meal deal to struggling families.
Mel’s Chippy, based in Penygroes, Wales, has been flooded with customers since they started running the offer during the summer.
Owners Mel and Sarah Lewis said they had served over 250 meal deals in just under a month.
Local businesses and customers have been contributing money to the shop so they can keep the scheme going.
They said they decided to launch the deal after running a similar scheme last October.
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Last autumn they gave out free soup. Mrs Lewis said she knew the time was right for a second deal.
Speaking to the BBC, she said: “It’s mad. We never expected the take-up to be so crazy.
“This is an area with a higher than average amount of families whose little ones receive free school meals.
“So those six weeks off can be really tough on those mums and dads who might be having a hard time making ends meet.”
She added: “And, with less council-run help initiatives on the go than during Covid, we’re just trying to make things a little bit easier for people.”
Mrs Lewis said she was careful to avoid the stigma around food aid and said she wanted “to be as easygoing as possible”.
As a result, there are forms or red tape for people to fill out or go around.
She said: “Kids can just pop in and say they want a £1 meal and that’s just what they’ll get.”
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Mrs Lewis added that she tries to change the budget menu to make sure the meals remain healthy and diverse.
She explained: “I see the same faces more or less every single day throughout the holidays I try to make sure they aren’t getting chips all the time.
“I just hope little initiatives like this, where everyone clubs together, can create a ripple effect and influence those in power to implement change for the better.”
Mrs Lewis’ scheme is one of several being run around the country as families struggle during the cost of living crisis.
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