A British company renowned for their digital management systems for airports and transport hubs all over the world have turned their talent to aiding the punter get his first pint after lockdown.

Phonetica, based in Cirencester, have developed a specialised technology which they have called Tradesafe, a plug-and-play pub and restaurant system and app that automatically downloads and stores patron information on arrival directly from their mobile phones.

It also counts customers on entrance and exit and manages overall numbers and times on site, without the need for staff supervision.

Other features include drink and food ordering, ‘server call’, ‘request for bill’ and ‘toilet free’ notification.

The benefits are said to include management and control of bathroom numbers and the sending of alerts to staff regarding high restroom use, thus guiding the intervals for cleaning and sanitation.

The hospitality industry has been told to keep a temporary record of all customers that enter their premises each and every day.

Not only is this a rolling requirement, but these records must be maintained for 21 days before being permanently expunged.

Penalties and possibly closure will be applied if these demands are breached.

The guidance also recommends table service and minimal staff contact when ordering and paying.

“The immediate concern for businesses would be the cost of door staff taking details and the risk in their proximity to every customer entering the premises. Extra door staff is of course an option, but technology is the best solution,” said Phonetica director and founder Simon Clegg.

The smart unit and device have been developed using all British components and proprietary software, from the build to the manufacture.

Unlike other devices and systems on the market, it is based on the people management and monitoring systems demanded by airports and their own strict regulations.

Tradesafe includes data and tracking, set at necessary control of people and limiting them to the predicted compliance levels.

Simon said: “By downloading the app once, Tradesafe will aid any restaurant, hotel or pub team, with the system, to manage their business by giving real time notifications to staff in regard to names, contact details and occupancy, rather than having someone standing there with a clicker or chasing people around the building.

"Avoiding unnecessary staff contact by using ordering features and text requests also help venues comply with the guidance.

“Tradesafe can be set to comply with the existing recommendation of the Government’s SAGE advisors but can easily vary as restrictions are eased or even in the worst case, increased.

"Staffing two or three shifts a day would be an expensive ongoing cost, especially as customer numbers will be limited.

"We know that to open safely technology is a far more affordable and reliable solution.

"At a total cost of around £400, Tradesafe will aid businesses and help them to get up and running straight away and can be adapted remotely as measures change.”