A CHESTER-BASED firm's new free app is ready to give a big boost to the city's hospitality industry with one simple initiative.

With the hospitality industry set to reopen on Saturday, July 4, venues which offer food have been looking for high-tech solutions to the issues with communicating their opening plans to the public, the sharing of menus, and changes to their normal services which are necessary to stay within government guidelines.

In particular, food and drink venues will need to take care with how they deliver menu information to customers, to make visits safe and hygenic.

In response, Chester-based Loyalty Pro has created a special version of its community app for use within the region as part of the One-Chester initiative.

The app, which is free for locals and tourists to download and available for both Apple and Android smartphones, contains a directory of businesses in the CH1-CH4 postcode.

To date, the app has over 700 business listings, which are being kept up to date with reopening dates, restrictions and offers. The interactive maps also show the location and status of other facilities such as food banks, public toilets and points of interest for tourists.

To handle the problems with physical menus, a new facility has been added.

The 'Venue Menu' feature is about to change the way hospitality in Chester operates by allowing venues to take away all physical menus and replace with a simple QR code.

Patrons will be able to visit the venue, scan the code from within the app – and the menu will appear.

The menus will also be viewable directly from the business listing, both on the app and the web, allowing people to check out what’s available before visiting or while in the queue.

Businesses are able to upload a PDF version of their menu in seconds, enabling a smooth and swift transition from their physical version to an electronic one and the ability to change menus regularly.

Ian Wade, owner of The Ring of Bells, Urbano and Burger Shed, said “We have been working with the One-Chester guys on the app and this is a very useful feature which will enable our customers to choose whilst waiting, without having to handle physical menus, this should be a great help both to them and to us.”

Rob Meakin, MD of Loyalty Pro, added: “It’s great news that the hospitality businesses are going to open again in July.

"Contactless is key, so we are delighted to be able to offer this facility to all businesses in the One-Chester area as part of their free listing”.