TWO entrepreneurs from Bury have developed a track and trace system which will work for independent pubs, cafes, restaurants and hair salons as they reopen after lockdown.

Keith Robinson and Paul Smith, who last month rolled out virtual business cards for Zappify, have adapted their platform as a free-to-use digital track-and-trace app, so sm

It works by linking establishments with registered consumers through their smartphones, maintaining a record of who has visited premises.

The pair say people only need to register once, as they can scan in and out of the same establishment multiple times or any other Zappify-registered location.

Staff can use their mobiles to scan customers in and out, and will be given their own QR code to display, as an alternative.

Keith said: “Paul and I run our own small companies which have been affected by recent events, and we empathise totally with those establishments which have been forced to shut since the coronavirus crisis unfolded.

“We feel very strongly about giving back to these smaller businesses. Now they will soon be able to open, albeit with restrictions in place, we have come up with a simple solution to one of the many problems they are facing.

“It’s been quite straightforward to adapt the technology and to save independent businesses from having to invest in expensive systems or revert to pen and paper to meet the track and trace guidelines.”

One of the small businesses to sign up already is Avantia, run by Claire Gaskell in Ramsbottom.

She added: "I’ve been using my Zappify virtual business card since it was launched because my salon has been closed.

"I am delighted that the track and trace requirements will be no burden at all using the Zappify Cov-ID system.”