A group of four locals are set to launch a new app advertising hospitality deals across the Kingston and Richmond boroughs.

Blackboard will allow users to find and compare hospitality deals in the local area, including Happy Hours, special offers, food deals, and more.

In an exclusive interview with Nub News, one of Blackboard's founders, Michael Cox, said: "Hospitality was my first ever job, and I worked in it for seven years, doing everything from potwash to waiter to bartender, to supervisor, and eventually manager.

"I always really enjoyed it, but when I moved to London, I realised that going out is really expensive - especially now more than ever.

"My friendship group and I go out quite a lot, and we're always looking for deals, and there is always one hidden somewhere, but they are hard to find online.

"You have to go on venue websites or Instagram accounts, if they even have one."

He continued: "Some places are better than others, but we want to afford a good night out without compromising. There are all these apps we've tried, like Design My Night, Book a Table, and Dusk.

"Some of them would focus on events, some on food, but none of them do all in one, or offer food, drinks, events, services, or advertisements in the same place.

"So, that's how we came up with the idea to launch an app that shows all the venues in your area with what deals are on every day of the week, but also gives venues the power to advertise their daily, weekly, and monthly deals as well as live deals or events."

He says that this would work for anyone going on a spontaneous night out and for those planning a night out a few weeks in advance.

Cox says that the name Blackboard was inspired by the fact many venues advertise their deals on blackboards at the location.

He explained that he also wants the app to help reduce food waste.

For example, he said, "We heard from one restaurant that they had seabass they had to get rid of, but they ended up throwing it away because no one knew it was on offer.

"However, if it had been advertised somewhere, this might not have happened.

"So we want to help prevent situations like this and help our app's users find new places, better deals, and events all in one space.

"And, for venues, our app will help them get more bums on seats and reduce waste, which I think is quite a nice factor because no one wants to waste food or drink.

"So if you can run a promotion to get rid of those last few bits, I think most people would rather have some revenue than nothing, or let it go to waste.

"We will not only advertise food, drinks, and event deals, but we will also help reduce waste. So that's Blackboard in a nutshell. We are trying to bring this all together in one place."

Blackboard is set to launch on Monday, 1 June, covering the whole of the Kingston and Richmond boroughs.

Cox said: "This is the test area, especially following the river because there's roughly 250 venues in that area, which is obviously quite a lot, and it's a very modern area.

"It's also a commuting belt; you've got universities, colleges, sports teams, and big sports arenas all within those boroughs in that area."

Cox says if the app proves successful, then he and his co-founders hope to expand the app to include the whole of London and then the UK.

He added: "So, hopefully, when you go travelling, you can plan ahead and see what's going on in your chosen area.

Speaking about why they chose to launch the app in the local area, Cox, who lives in Surbiton, said: "We think this area is a really good test bed and obviously being local, I've got a special kind of love for the area.

"In just my time here, Kingston especially has grown massively with so many cool new venues and events, even just in the last three years."

He continued: "I think it's getting more and more modern. It's become quite a cool place to hang out."

Cox has lived in the area for 12 years, including Teddington, Hampton, Kingston, and Surbiton.

"So, I have always lived within the KT and TW postcodes, and they call it the KT, TW trap," he said.

The Blackboard app is free to sign up to, but there will also be a premium option, "which can give you more exclusive offers and more exclusive deals", says Cox.

However, venues will have to pay a subscription fee to advertise their venues on the app.

Although, says Cox, "Luckily for our founders, they will get a very long free trial period".

Venues that subscribe to Blackboard will also receive analytics showing them what is working and what is not working, which Cox says is "key because otherwise you're kind of shooting in the dark".

He added: "And then we're also looking to do work with food and beverage brands, doing activations.

"So, if new drinks companies want to release a new brand to see how it works with the public, like a focus group, or it's just a general promotion, they can run that through our app and participate in venues.

"And it's the same with food and events. It just gives a lot more power to the venues to advertise, but it also generates revenue for us, which means we don't have to charge users."

The founder says that the "cost to the venues is actually quite low".

Among Blackboard's founding venues is 7000 Jars of Beer, a micro pub and beer shop in Kingston, which opened in 2017 under owners Kieth and Susie Statham.

The business was later sold to a man called Guran; however, the current owner, Philos Schauerman, took over last year after Guran died of cancer.

Speaking about why he decided to join Blackboard as a founding venue, Schauerman told Nub News: "We've got our social media going, and we are on Untapped, a specific beer app, which you can also post events on as well.

"Instagram is linked to our Facebook, and then we have a bunch of different WhatsApp groups, but I suppose we're not part of a wider group.

"So, this idea of being on an app with lots of other pubs and bars and other businesses, and sort of interrelating, almost, just seems very sensible and practical, and it just makes sense.

"So, I immediately went, 'yeah, that makes sense, yeah, let's do that. Are we getting more customers?' We're a young company, and this is something I haven't really used before.

"But I am going to start using that more because I think we've gotten to that point now we are established and on the map."

He continued: "The more help we get, the better things get for us, and the more we can help, the better things get for everybody else.

"So, we're very much thinking holistically in that sense as well. For instance, we already give discounts.

"For example, if you are a local pub or a local businessman, even if you're not using the Kingston First app, which is a local app for people who work in Kingston, I'll give you 10 per cent off anyway.

"If you just tell me, 'I'm a barman from the Druid's Head', for example, I'll give you 10 per cent off.

"So, I appreciate that, in this trade, everyone looks after everyone else. And that's why Blackboard feels right, it makes us feel part of a community."

Cox says that while Blackboard is speaking to the big chains like Greene King, it is focusing more on independent businesses "because it's about supporting your local" and "because that's where you find the character and the interesting places and interesting people".

Cox said: "There are some really cool characters around here. I have to say, we've got a real mix."

Cox says that Blackboard is also looking to work with a few non-alcoholic brands because one of the app's founders is teetotal after overcoming addiction.

"He said: "He [the founder] still wants to participate in nights out and join his friends who drink, even if he doesn't drink. So he wants those non-alcoholic options."

Additionally, Cox says the team will eventually start sharing reviews for its venue partners via Blackboard's Instagram page.

​Blackboard will be launching on the App Store and the Google Store.

You can also join the waitlist via its website here.

Cox says that Blackboard now has nearly 50 venues signed up and is "of course looking for more".

He added: "The more the better because it's better for the customers in the local community.

"There's been an overwhelmingly positive response because everyone can see it's about helping boost local businesses and reducing waste, as well as giving everybody more options to find hidden gems.

"We found a lot of feedback from people saying they didn't know places existed and they're so glad to be spoken to and this is before the app has even launched."