‘ An East Kent pub is giving away food in a bid to get customers back into the bar — in a deal called “credit munch”.

Bull Inn licensee, Charlie Gibbons is offering free meals between 5.00pm and 7.30pm in an effort to beat the credit crunch.

At his Eastry pub near Dover, four dishes will be on the menu — lasagne, cottage pie, fish pie and cauliflower cheese although only 12 meals are being given away free during the trial period.

The Morning Advertiser reported that it costs Mr Gibbons about £1 a head to provide the homemade food, but he estimated bar sales increased by £200 in the first week of the scheme.

“Of course, the hope is that they will buy a drink, but if they don’t want to, they still get the food,” Charlie explained to the pub trade's 'favourite' newspaper.