Growth on cards as Edinburgh venue sourcing app partners with top hotel operator

An Edinburgh-based app that connects remote workers with spaces to work is gearing up for further growth after partnering with a top hotel operator.

Venue sourcing app Swurf was developed to drive additional revenue opportunities and remote working bookings to hotels, restaurants, bars and other hospitality venues. Its partnership will enable the start-up to connect its thousands of subscribers to an initial 21 Village Hotels across the UK.

For the end business user, the app promises to “seamlessly enable them to locate, book and access discounts from approved host venues”.

With millions of employees working from home at least two days per week as a result of the pandemic, remote working has been touted as the perfect antidote to being stuck at home staring at the same four walls.

Venue sourcing app Swurf was developed to drive additional revenue opportunities and remote working bookings to hotels, restaurants, bars and other hospitality venues. Its partnership will enable the start-up to connect its thousands of subscribers to an initial 21 Village Hotels across the UK.

A key aim of the app is to help support the mental health of employees across a range of sectors, by encouraging them to utilise hospitality venues in their local area and reconnect with friends, clients or colleagues.

Nikki Gibson, founder and director of Swurf, who has worked in the events and hospitality sector for more than 20 years, said: “We believe our innovative app is a real game-changer for the hospitality sector and what better business to partner with than Village Hotels.

“Swurf is still in its infancy but is rapidly expanding across the UK as new subscribers and host venues come on board daily. Welcoming Village Hotels to the app provides a clear blueprint for other hospitality venues across the UK, that struggle to utilise and maximise revenue opportunities within its remote working spaces.”

Village Hotels, which has locations across the UK, including in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, said it had carefully selected the venues to be part of the partnership. The company recently launched a programme to transform the remote working spaces within all 21 venues involved.

Jamie Hunter, VWorks business ambassador for Village Hotels, said: “Swurf’s entire ethos and aim to connect a growing community of entrepreneurs, freelancers, home and remote workers with hospitality venues like ourselves, makes them the perfect partner.

“Through our VWorks initiative, we’ve invested heavily in transforming our venues into a really attractive alternative to home working.”

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