Available today (15th June), the Love St Andrews Marketplace app delivered by BID St Andrews and powered by the Hungrrr Platform aims to provide a marketplace where all local businesses with existing delivery and/or click and collect services and those businesses who would like to adapt to this business model during the current challenging economic period can do so.
Covid19 compounds an already fragile retail sector in the UK and so to support its members as they begin to reopen the town, BID St Andrews Ltd, with funding from the Scottish Government’s COVID-19 BID Resilience Fund and partnering with the Hungrr App, has developed the #LoveStAndrews Marketplace, a digital town centre representing businesses from all sectors. It is hoped that the app will help to drive revenue streams, save jobs and ensure that businesses survive and thrive as they emerge from the crisis.
#LoveStAndrews will keep local customers connected to their local independent businesses despite being socially distanced from them.
“BIDs across Scotland are playing a critical role during these challenging economic times. Not only are we offering hands-on support to our BID Members, we are working hand in hand with local and central government to try to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on our local economies. Town centres will play a vital role in the “bounce back” and we hope the Marketplace App will be another way we can help the businesses by providing them with a flexible revenue platform as they adapt the way they operate going forward We were so impressed when we saw how the Hungrrr Platform was supporting and driving business forward in Dundee and felt they were the ideal partner for us to support our Marketplace here in St Andrews. We don’t know how social distancing guidelines will impact retail in the short term, or indeed how long the measures will be in place, but it is clear they will need as much help and support as we can give them. Just as importantly the app will ensure a continued public connection to our town centre, the shop local message has never been so important. We hope local residents and visitors to our town will enjoy the app and also let us know which businesses they would like to see come onboard.” said Jane Kennedy, BID St Andrews Manager
Louise A Fraser, Chair of BID St Andrews and owner of Fraser Gallery St Andrews commented: “As Chair of BID St Andrews, I am delighted that we are able to support our local businesses in accessing a new platform that will help them promote their business to both new and existing audiences – from within the town as well as further afield. As we move forward the parameters within which businesses can operate will be changing and our Marketplace app will allow them to offer their products and services with delivery and collect options, in addition to their physical sales. From our own perspective, it offers us a unique opportunity to promote the gallery and the work of our artists via a new and exciting platform and, just as we are a part of the ‘high street’ offering in town, it made sense to be a part of this virtual high street too and we are excited to see what response we get from the app.”
Phil Prentice, Chief Officer of Scotland’s Towns Partnership and National Programme Director of Scotland’s Improvement Districts, said: “With support from the Scottish Government’s COVID-19 BID Resilience Fund, BIDs across Scotland are supporting local businesses with digital solutions that help them to keep trading during this difficult time. The launch of the St Andrews Marketplace Platform is a great example of how BIDs are delivering local e-commerce platforms to help businesses innovate and stay resilient both during and after lockdown. As lockdown is phased-out, it will be important that this innovation continues as our high streets change and evolve. However, what this crisis has shown is how resilient and creative our business improvement districts and town centres can be, which bodes well for the future.”
The Hungrrr platform was set up originally to help restaurants and takeaways get online quickly with world class app and web technology. It has allowed hundreds of businesses to save thousands in commissions from the other delivery providers such as JustEat and Deliveroo. Daniel Rosie, MD of DLR Media, said “We feel very proud to have been chosen to partner with BID St Andrews and #lovestandrews Market place. We look forward to assisting the local businesses to reach out to their customers in a way that might never have done before. We are very happy to assist in ensuring that customers are able to buy local and support their local businesses while still adhering to social distancing guidelines.”
About BID St Andrews
Established by the businesses in 2016, BID St Andrews aims to improve the aesthetic and economic environment of St Andrews Town Centre for the benefit of local business, local community and all visitors to the town. Its Award winning Clean & Green Project supports St Andrews and carries out a huge programme of works to ensure St Andrews remains beautiful all year round and the events it organises for the town, including the annual St Andrew’s Day Celebrations.
END
For more information, please contract:
Jane Kennedy
Bid St Andrews Manager
Phone 07414201301
Email: jane@bidstandrews.co.uk
To onboard your business directly use the goggle forms link: https://forms.gle/HDKvd1c9q2hFxSLG6
IOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/love-st-andrews-marketplace/id1514161987?ls=1
