Will Broome, chief executive of hospitality app uBARmarket, discusses how the sector can sustain growth by building consumer confidence.

Will Broome
Will Broome

HMRC recently reported that, as of 9th August, there have been 10,540,394 claims under the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. With 83,068 restaurants now having signed up to the scheme, the figures from the first week are very promising for the sector itself and for the huge number of people that are employed within it. 

This success is of particular pertinence, as government figures have shown that 80% of hospitality firms stopped trading in April and that 1.4 million workers were furloughed — the highest proportions of any sector.

Furthermore, the scheme has also triggered an increase in the number of people visiting shopping centres and high streets across the country. Retail analyst Springboard reported that the number of people in retail destinations after 6pm last Monday, which was the first day of the scheme, was 19% higher than the previous week. The number of visitors during lunch hours between noon and 2pm also rose by 9.6%. 

Over last week as a whole, visitor numbers at high streets, malls, and retail parks rose 3.8% from the week before. High streets saw the largest increase, with footfall up 4.5%.

As we move into the second week of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, it seems clear that it has already had a positive impact for the hospitality sector. The noticeably increased footfall will, no doubt, give struggling hospitality venues a much-needed boost, and bodes well for the future of the sector.

‘Tech-based solutions will be key in combating the challenges posed by increased safety and hygiene measures’

However, this increased footfall comes with increased safety and hygiene concerns, especially with the scheme only applying to consumers eating in-store. As such, it is more important than ever that hospitality venues adapt and develop the customer experience by implementing new approaches to not only safeguard the safety and wellbeing of customers and staff, but also to allow venues to take advantage of the benefits of the scheme. 

One way hospitality venues can sustain this growth is by turning to technology. By implementing mobile-based technology, such as uBARmarket, venues can effectively navigate consumer fears by offering a number of features which can improve and streamline the hospitality experience safely.

There are a range of features now available, such as map search, remote ordering, in-app payments, and automatic loyalty points, which help hospitality venues to effectively cater to considerable numbers of customers, while still maintaining appropriate social distancing and hygiene policies.

Ultimately, tech-based solutions such as uBARmarket will be key in combating the challenges posed by increased safety and hygiene measures, while also helping venues dramatically improve the safety and convenience of their customer experience, leading to increased popularity, success, and growth beyond the coronavirus crisis.