A Chester restaurant is proving that Christmas really is the season of goodwill by hosting six people who face spending December 25 alone for free.

The team at Café Rouge on Bridge Street is inviting the single diners who would otherwise be by themselves to enjoy a slap-up five-course meal – for the second year running.

The generous festive gesture started last year when a party of six cancelled their Christmas Day booking at short notice.

Rather than let the table go to waste, thoughtful general manager Lucy Newton decided to offer it up.

She said: “We just want to give something back. That’s the spirit of Christmas to us.

“It’s not just about making money.

“Our staff will be in anyway so people who would be by themselves might as well come and be with us.

“It was lovely last year.”

Plans to keep it going

Lucy praised Chester’s ‘real community spirit’ and said her team have received a lot of support for the idea, which they intend to continue.

To nominate yourself or someone you know, send a private message to the Cafe Rouge Chester page on Facebook.

Names will be drawn at random from a hat on December 20.