An award-winning smartphone platform designed to drive interest, footfall and spend to local high streets and town centres has been launched in Bangor, ahead of an immediate rollout across the borough’s key towns.
Designed to put consumers and businesses in control, Roam Local is a social media-style platform designed to connect communities, enhance safety and well-being, and support local business.
Powered by GPS, the revolutionary business platform empowers users to do everything from tracking down local retail and hospitality business to making plans, recommending their favourite businesses to friends, and creating safe groups to commute, shop and play safely.
Helping to build loyalty and encourage repeat visits, Roam Local users will get to see the very best of business and experiences available in towns across the borough from Holywood and Ards to Comber and Donaghadee through notifications generated by their favourite “Hotspots”, as identified by the app.
Already available in Co Durham, where entrepreneur founder, former professional jump jockey Andrew Bartlett grew up, as well as the Tees Valley, Yorkshire and other parts of England, Roam Local has more than 500,000 subscribers to date, as well as the backing of leading councils, chambers of commerce and business improvement districts.
With support from Bangor Chamber of Commerce, Retail NI, Hospitality Ulster and Ards and North Down Borough Council, Bangor was chosen for Roam Local’s initial NI rollout because of its potential to quickly revive its hospitality and retail economy in the wake of the pandemic.
It’s hoped the app will act as a digital catalyst to support the city’s ambitious £124 million regeneration plans.
Roam Local founder Andrew Bartlett said: “Any shop, café, pub, restaurant or venue, in any location, is already listed on the platform, and any business can enhance their profile and promote themselves on Roam using the digital marketing tools to engage with the local community, business travellers and tourists alike."
Proven to boost local business footfall and revenues by up to 30% where it operates, the Roam Local app, which allows users to access information on entertainment options, find new places to go and receive personalised offers and rewards, has already won several awards including Best Local Travel App 2022 at the UK Enterprise Awards, and Tech Product of The Year Award at the 2021 Restaurant and Takeaway expo, Europe's largest hospitality event.
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Roam Local pulls in information on all hotspots, including opening times, images and maps on places of public interest including bars, restaurants, clubs, hotels, gyms and heritage and culture to help people plan a day or night out.
It also allows individuals to share their location with secure groups of friends or colleagues so they can stay together and plan their trips, and by understanding behavioural anomalies amongst friends, the app can send out safety alerts to the rest of a group if someone strays away or gets lost.
Welcoming the Bangor launch, Retail NI chief executive, Glyn Roberts, said: “Bangor is beginning to blossom and I’m confident that digital technology such as the exciting Roam Local app, will be the way forward to help connect businesses looking to market themselves with existing and new customers keen to find out more about what their community has to offer.”
The app is freely available to download on both iOS and Android devices and businesses keen to sign up can visit roam-local.co.uk.
A dedicated Roam Local office has been established in Bangor to help businesses and consumers find out more at the former Danske Bank premises at 77, The Old Market Place, Main Street Bangor BT20 5AP.
Source: Written from press release.
