ENGLAND star Eric Dier is getting stuck into the restaurant trade by launching an eating out app.
The Spurs player’s brainchild is a cross between Instagram and TripAdvisor where diners set up profiles and leave posts about their fave dining haunts.
Eric Dier is putting his footballing riches into a new restaurant app
He’s just launched Spotlas with his brother Patrick and friend Zoe Connick.
And team-mate Dele Alli is already on board by plugging the app on his Instagram page.
The trend for sports professionals to back tech companies is becoming increasingly common.
Tennis star Serena Williams launched a venture fund last year to invest in women, people of colour and young entrepreneurs, whilst Andy Murray enjoys crowdfunding various start-ups.
Eric says the important thing for him is that he believed in the idea, but it’s also been an exciting process.
The Tottenham ace noted: “Tech is something we use everyday and it’s exciting to have something you’ve created on your phone.
“We’re really excited about the launch now.”
MOVING CLUBS
The app’s ‘Spots’ can be anywhere in the world, from beaches and hotels to bars and churches.
A map feature will allow users to find places near you marked by Spotmojis such as sushi or pizza – a more personalised version of a map pin.
The homepage will allow people to save the places they want to visit or plan to return to, and the Discover section will showcase recommendations from accounts they don’t follow.
Looking for a bar or club? The app automatically switches to dark mode and replaces the feed with night-time spots so you don’t have to scroll through loads of cafes to find the place you want to attend.
Tech is something we use everyday and it’s exciting to have something you’ve created on your phone.
Eric Dier
Patrick said: “There’s such an inefficiency recommending places.
“You only really get a recommendation from a friend if you specifically ask. The idea snowballed from there.”
Overall, the idea is that it’s about seeking out recommendations from people you know.
Patrick adds: “TripAdvisor and Expedia are all pedalling ratings and reviews.
“Those are evaluations, and we want recommendations – from people you know and trust are more valuable than anonymous ratings and reviews.”
The app has been in development since 2018, something Patrick says has been “a massive learning process” for the trio.
Whilst Eric has been funding the app, Patrick and Zoe take care of the development and marketing sides respectively, and the three meet weekly to discuss the latest updates.
The pandemic also delayed the app’s rollout, but they’re positive this helped to make it better.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
