Some businesses have finally managed to regain a foothold after being knocked for six by the pandemic. But for bars and restaurants, the challenge has only just begun.
Whilst the general public are awaiting July 4 (the day pubs could reopen) with bated breath, the venues themselves aren’t filled with the same giddy optimism.
Social distancing rules and regulations have rendered ‘normal’ customer serving methods impossible, and for the smaller, independent bars we all know and love, finding a solution is proving panic-inducingly difficult.
That’s why seatd are stepping in to help.
This innovative tech system allows customers to order food and drink to their seats without the need to fill in forms, download an app or pre-order beforehand. All they need to do is scan a code on the table – and choose their serving preferences (bring to the table, collect at the till, or a specified pickup point).
It’s easy for customers. It’s easy for venues. And everyone stays safe.
Through user-friendly design and technology, guests are invited to view digital menus on their phones – complete with food/drinks and dietary requirements.
The web-app also features a unique back-of-house system, so businesses can track live orders clearly and efficiently – with an admin panel sitting on a tablet or laptop next to existing POS systems.
Every customer will also be given the option to donate to a local charity, at no extra cost to the venue.
Despite the straitjacket being thrown onto the hospitality sector, seatd has found a way to create environments where people still have freedom in how they order and pay.
The brainchild of hospitality tech specialists Craig Davies, Matt Gibbs, Stephen Powell and Jack Woodward, the seatd software has been developed over the last three months and is being rolled out to venues ahead of the grand bar/pub/restaurant reopening next month.
Wikimedia Commons
Craig Davies, co-founder of seatd said: “seatd was born out of our love and understanding of the hospitality industry and what would be essential in supporting its recovery when doors reopen.
“With safety of paramount importance to us, we want to work closely with venues to help them get back on their feet, providing them with tech that helps them comply with social distancing measures.
“We’re so proud to have developed seatd. There’s absolutely no setup costs, and it’s really easy to use. Venues can literally be up in running in a matter of minutes.”
Fellow co-founder Steve Powell added: “While people are searching for a balance between peace of mind and returning to life, seatd hopes to reassure any apprehensions and help the public to enjoy the future of social hospitality and also ensure much-loved venues are able to stay trading safely and successfully.”
Alongside seatd, Craig Davies and Stephen Powell are co-founders of the award winning Viper app, which enables customers to pre-book tables and drinks at bars in Manchester including Manahatta, Dirty Martini, Impossible and BLVD.
For more information on seatd, visit their website. Venues can get in touch right now for support with any social distancing measures.
You can also follow them on social media: @beseatd.
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‘Dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture goes on public display in Greater Manchester after fears it was lost
Emily Sergeant
A long-lost masterpiece of Victorian silverwork has been saved and is now on display to the public in Greater Manchester.
Anyone taking a trip over to the National Trust’s historic Dunham Massey property, on the border of Greater Manchester into Cheshire, this summer will get to see the ‘dazzling’ sculpture called Stags in Bradgate Park – which was commissioned by a former owner in a defiant gesture to the society that shunned him.
The dramatic sculpture of two rutting Red Deer stags, commissioned in 1855 by George Harry Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford, was said to be an ‘act of love and rebellion’.
It also serves as a symbol of ‘locking horns’ with the society that ostracised him over his marriage to a woman considered ‘beneath him’.
“This isn’t just silver – it’s a story,” says James Rothwell, who is the National Trust‘s curator for decorative arts.
“A story of a man who fell in love with a woman that society deemed unworthy. When the Earl married Catherine Cox, whose colourful past was said to have included performing in a circus, Victorian high society was scandalised. Even Queen Victoria shunned the couple at the opera and local gentry at the horse races in Cheshire turned their backs on them.”
Modelled by Alfred Brown and crafted by royal goldsmiths Hunt & Roskell, Stags in Bradgate Park is a meticulously-detailed depiction of nature, and was considered a ‘sensation’ in its day.
Showing the rutting deer positioned on a rocky outcrop with gnarled hollow oaks, it graced the pages of the Illustrated London News, was exhibited at the London International Exhibition of 1862, and at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 – both of which were events that drew millions of visitors.
A ‘dazzling’ Victorian silver sculpture has gone on public display in Greater Manchester / Credit: Joe Wainwright | James Dobson (via Supplied)
The silver centrepiece was the celebrity art of its time, paraded through streets and admired by the public like no other.
Gradually over the years, some of the Earl of Stamford’s silver collection has been re-acquired for Dunham Massey, and this particular world-renowned sculpture, thought to be lost for decades and feared to have been melted down, has miraculously survived with its ‘dramatic’ central component being all that is left.
“The sculpture is not only a technical marvel, with its lifelike depiction of Bradgate Park’s rugged landscape and wildlife, but also a dramatic human story key to the history of Dunham Massey,” added Emma Campagnaro, who is the Property Curator at Dunham Massey.
“It speaks of nature, of craftsmanship, and of a couple who chose each other over status and what others thought of them.”
The sculpture has now gone on display at Dunham Massey from Thursday 26 June.
Featured Image – James Dobson (via Supplied)
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Lewis Capaldi announces MASSIVE comeback gig in Manchester this year
Thomas Melia
Everyone’s favourite Scottish ballad-maker, Lewis Capaldi, is heading out on tour across the UK, including a massive Manchester date.
Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi is ready to tug at our heartstrings again right in front of our eyes as he announces a new UK arena tour.
This huge announcement comes right after his surprise set at the UK’s biggest music event of the year, Glastonbury, where he made a heroic return to the Pyramid Stage just two years after being forced to pull out.
Capaldi is known for writing some of the most notable and emotive hits of the late 2010s and early 2020s, including a long list of anthems such as ‘Someone You Loved’, ‘Bruises’ and ‘Before You Go’.
His monster of a hit ‘Someone You Loved’ has surpassed 3.9 billion views and is the UK’s most-streamed song of all time, so it is safe to say that his presence has been well and truly missed.
To many fans’ delight, the singer has stepped back into the spotlight and is ready to sing his heart out live at a variety of arenas across the UK, including Co-op Live right here in Manchester.
Now, in a post on his official Instagram account announcing this upcoming UK and Ireland arena tour, it’s good to see the Scottish powerhouse hasn’t lost his wit and charm as he jokes, “About time I got back to work.”
These shows are set to be in high demand as the singer has also revealed these upcoming dates, “Will be my only shows in the UK, Ireland or Europe this year! Would love to see ya there.”
On the back of his glorious Glasto return, Capaldi has dropped a huge heart-wrencher titled ‘Survive’ which offers more insight into the struggles and challenges the singer has been facing.
There is no confirmation of whether this new single marks the launch of a bigger project or not, but we can’t wait to scream his hits at the top of our lungs, regardless of when he pays Manchester a visit later this year.
The Manc -
17th June 2020 
