Pubs are finally back!
July 4 marked the reopening of pubs in Britain, after nearly four months with their doors firmly shut. And with it has come a handy new app that advises people to steer clear of pub chain Wetherspoons, giving them directions to local cheap boozers instead.
Smartly named app “Neverspoons” came about to help support independent pubs rather than the controversial chain. The app shows independent pubs with a green arrow (good!), and Wetherspoons with a red arrow (bad!). Users can view a full list of nearby Wetherspoons, with a plethora of alternatives given for each site.
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“There are too many of these former pubs in amazing buildings, now derelict, that used to be the central hub for a lot of communities,” said app developer Shane Jones. “If you can put some money in the till of a smaller independent pub through the use of this app, then it’s done the job I intended it to.”
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Wetherspoons came under heavy criticism due to the chain’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, Tim Martin, founder and chairman of the chain, was quoted on record suggesting his 40,000 strong staff go and work at Tesco instead of continuing to pay them anything. This has led to the app’s creation, and also the Twitter hashtag #neverspoons.
Find out more about Neverspoons and download the app here.