Contained within Boris Johnson’s “roadmap” address yesterday evening were the much anticipated dates for the reopening of hospitality venues. With outdoor venues signalled to reopen on April 12th, and indoor trading penned in for May 17th, millions of Brits will be eager to return to pubs and restaurants to bask in the most quintessentially British venues for socialising.

With the periods of lockdown closing the industry, it has come to the attention of many publicans and restaurateurs that in order to meet client demand in a safe manner post-Covid, the implementation of technology will be an essential. Ubamarket LTD – founded in 2016 – is a pioneer of ‘Scan Pay Go’ technology, offering the most innovative solutions to providing the fastest ‘in and out’ visit to supermarkets, that now enjoys partnerships with SPAR and Central England Co-Op. However, with the ensuing consequences of the pandemic, and the success witnessed in the retail arena, Ubamarket LTD has now acted swiftly to create NOMM (New Order, Magic Menu), which will seek to be the most sophisticated app available to the sector.

Taking much of the software from Ubamarket, and evolving for the hospitality sector, NOMM is the first app of its kind to offer contactless payment, interactive menus, facial recognition, takeaways and deliveries. Furthermore, the benefits for the venues include an API cloud-based software that is linked to the POS system, meaning that any changes made to the menus in the restaurant are updated to the app in real time. All of these features have been built to ensure that fears of contact with others are minimised, maximising the health of both the servers and the guests.

Will Broome, CEO of Ubamarket LTD, has commented on the necessity of implementing technology ahead of the reopening of hospitality:

“The return of hospitality this Spring is hugely significant. Not only does it provide much welcome relief for the business owners that have seen their trading blighted by the pandemic, but it will bring a great alleviation for the mental health of millions of Brits. The prospect to return to our beloved venues is a tantalising thought, but we must ensure that venues use this time to act proactively, to ensure that guests feel safe upon their return.

There will of course be a sense of trepidation as we return back to normality, but through NOMM, we are providing an app that will bring reassurances and comfort to guests and business owners alike. Once the industry is reopened, we will have produced the fastest, cheapest and most tech-enabled solution to many of the problems Covid has highlighted.”