The 2024 Public Diners Conference firmly launched the concept of state-supported restaurants, and the excitement was palpable. Not just a place for “the most vulnerable”, but somewhere all of us can eat well without stretching the budget – public diners was a fresh idea grounded in the values of our collective and individual wellbeing. But the event also opened up a treasure trove of questions. How much subsidy would a public diner need? What would be on the menu? And most importantly – when can we eat in one? We knew there was so much more research to be done.
Now, thanks to funding from UK Research and Innovation fund and in partnership with colleagues at the Institute of Development Studies and the University of Nottingham, we are about to gain a whole new level of insight. We are pleased to be launching a 3-year research project exploring the role public diners can play in reducing health inequalities. The work will include running two test sites – in Dundee and in Nottingham – to fully understand the operational aspects and the impact these restaurants can have on the city and wellbeing of people who live, work and study there.
The first year of the project will be focused on co-development of the test sites. We will work with people in each city to understand their needs and preferences, from locations and menus, to opening hours. We will also be speaking to representatives from community organisations, public health teams, the council and national bodies to ensure the research responds to their questions, and draws on their extensive expertise. Finally, we will be looking for a caterer who is up to the challenge. We expect the tender to be announced later this year, with the actual test diners opening their doors for 12 months, starting in the summer of 2026.
We are also keen to learn from other examples of state-supported restaurants. From Poland to Turkey to India and Brazil, there is a wealth of expertise to draw on. We will be opening up our emerging international network to share and learn from international practice.
With the National Food Strategy and the Good Food Nation Plan on the horizon, the food systems change is finally getting the attention it deserves. Public diners fit squarely into this agenda. They can deliver on the right to food, sustainability and public health. Crucially, they provide the imaginative leap we need: from circular conversations about needing to teach people about good food to an actual change in the food environment that will allow all of us to eat well.
To hear more about this work, including the second Public Diners Conference on 16th October, sign up to our mailing list.