A RESTAURANT made sure no food from its new menu launch went to waste by giving it to homeless people.

Kemp Thai, in St George’s Road, Brighton, booked a photographer to take pictures for dishes on its new menu.

And with some 50 dishes on offer there was a lot of food.

The restaurant did not want it to go to waste after the photo shoot so it was boxed up and taken to rough sleepers using the city’s homeless bus.

Bus founder Jim Deans, an advocate for the homeless in the city, collected the food and delivered it to the buses which is parked in Madeira Drive, near Concorde 2.

He said: “It’s great, the guys got to eat their fill.

“By two o clock we were at the buses with tables and homeless people munching on some food.

“The restaurant contacted me last week and said they wanted to do something for us.

“We need every little business to help a little bit and the community will help solve this homeless crisis.

“We just have the stage and the public want to climb on board.”

Homeless people enjoyed the hearty Thai meal.

Philip Siviers, owner of Kemp Thai, said it was important for the restaurant, which has been in Brighton for seven years, to give back to the community.

He said:“I was talking to our photographer and asked what we should do with the food.

“We came up with the idea of giving it to the homeless and he mentioned the buses in Madeira Drive.

“It’s great that the food goes to a good cause and if we see homeless people in the street we’ll pop out and give them something as well.

“I haven’t been in Brighton that long but I’ve seen the homeless numbers rise hugely, it’s ridiculous.

“I can pass two or three people a day from College Road to Kemp Town Co-op.”

The restaurant has a loyalty scheme for customers to get free food.

Six orders earns a free starter, another six earns a free main and another six is worth a restaurant special dish.

But Philip said customers who do not take advantage of the offer are encouraged to donate the dishes to the homeless as well.