PhD students launch Trip Advisor-style app for pubs
The ‘Rate Good Pub’ app, developed by five PhD students, enables drinkers to score pubs in 14 categories, including beer garden, service, beer choice, atmosphere and delightful surprises.
The classifications are weighted according to how important they are to a pub and a final percentage mark is awarded.
The user’s input is then added to an updated database, which gives a score for the pub and creates a chart of the best and worst rated venues.
At the moment the app is designed for Sheffield-based pubs only, but there are plans to release future versions for different locations.
App co-founder James Craven told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser that the idea arose two years ago when he and fellow science students Tom Young, Sam Slater, Peter Weston and Steve Muddimer decided to visit more than 300 pubs in Sheffield and rank each one. They were joined at some of the pubs by friend Colin Drury.
They devised a scoring index and developed a formula to weigh everything up into one final percentage mark. Following research in Sheffield the group handed out certificates and compiled a list of the Top 20 pubs in the city. According to their ratings, which were based on at least two visits to each pub, Sheffield’s best pub is the Fat Cat in Kelham Island.
“One neat feature is that it allows users to locate pubs based on different criteria,” Craven said. “For example, if it’s a nice day and the user wants to know which pub in their vicinity has the best beer garden, it will allow them to do so.”
The free app is due to launch on Windows initially, but Craven hopes it will be extended to android and iPhone devices. You can follow the group on Twitter @RateGoodPub.
